Lausanne: La Guilde du Livre / Editions Clairefontaine, 1955. First French edition, first printing. Paperback (stiff grey card stock) with jacket (as issued). Scarce in wrapper. The wrapper has some creasing and rubbing, with edgewear. Previous repair has reinforced the wrapper spine (inside). The book block is disbound, with the majority of the pages detached from each other. Previous owner's bookplate to the inside board. 14 black and white photos (12 inside, 2 on the cover). 280 by 220mm (11 by 8¾ inches).
Martin Parr; The Photobook vol 1, page 187/201. Andrew Roth; Book of 101 Books, page 132; 802 photo books from the M. + M. Auer collection, page 336. Première édition française, premier tirage. Broché (carton gris rigide) avec jaquette (telle que publiée). Rare sous emballage. La cape présente des plis et des frottements, avec des usures des bords. Une réparation précédente a renforcé le dos de la cape (intérieur). Le bloc de livre est détaché, avec la majorité des pages détachées les unes des autres. Ex-libris du propriétaire précédent sur le tableau intérieur. 14 photos en noir et blanc (12 à l'intérieur, 2 sur la couverture).
Martin Parr ; Le livre photo vol 1, page 187/201. Andrew Roth ; Livre des 101 livres, page 132 ; 802 livres photo de la collection M. + M. Auer, page 336. 280 x 220 mm

Paris: unknown. A French tourist souvenir. Undated but circa 1890, comprising a burgundy decorated folder (some chips and tears to creases now repaired and strengthened). Inside are 12 anonymous photographs of Paris. Nice clean silver gelatin original photographs. Each 210 x 270 mm (8¼ x 10¾ inches). No information about photographer or photo studio. Reverse is blank. Some of these views have been named and numbered in the plate, so it would seem that the purchaser could choose their 12 favourites from a selection. Photographs comprise: a view of the city (Eiffel Tower in the background); The Eiffel Tower close up; a river cruise on the Seine; Avenue de L'Opera; Versailles; Luxembourg Senat; l'Opera; la Madeleine; Place de la Concorde; Notre Dame; Arc de Triomphe; Champs Elysees. The photographs are in good clean condition with no tears, a few have light creasing to them due to the thin photographic paper. Un souvenir touristique français. Non daté mais Circa 1890, comprenant un dossier décoré bordeaux (quelques éclats et déchirures aux plis aujourd'hui réparés et renforcés). A l'intérieur se trouvent 12 photographies anonymes de Paris. Belles photographies originales à la gélatine argentique propre. Grandes photographies - 210 par 270 mm. Aucune information sur le photographe ou le studio photo. Le verso est vierge. Certaines de ces vues ont été nommées et numérotées dans la planche, il semblerait donc que l'acquéreur puisse choisir ses 12 coups de coeur parmi une sélection. Les photographies comprennent : une vue de la ville (tour Eiffel en arrière-plan) ; La tour Eiffel en gros plan ; une croisière fluviale sur la Seine ; Avenue de L'Opéra; Versailles; Sénat luxembourgeois; l'Opéra; la Madeleine; Place de la Concorde ; Notre Dame; Arc de Triomphe; Champs Élysées. Les photographies sont en bon état de propreté, sans déchirures, quelques-unes présentent de légers plis en raison du papier photographique fin.

Leningrad: inshenerow-komandirow protiwoposharnoi oborony, 1940. Fabric-covered original cover with gilt titles, The gilt is a little faded, and some parts have been inked in so as to still be legible. A little marking and staining to the cover. Contains 1 exterior view of the institute building and 33 individual photographic portraits of lecturers and graduates, all named in the negative. These are tipped onto the card. The university, founded in 1933, is a forerunner of the "Akademija gos. Protiwoposharnoi slushby MTschS Rossii", which is located in Moscow today. A fascinating "photo-book" at a seminal period of Russian history. Image size 12: 8 cm. Album size 230 by 300mm (9 by 11¾ inches). Couverture originale recouverte de tissu avec titres dorés, La dorure est un peu passée, et certaines parties ont été encrées pour être encore lisibles. Un peu de marquage et de taches sur la couverture. Contient 1 vue extérieure du bâtiment de l'institut et 33 portraits photographiques individuels de professeurs et de diplômés, tous nommés dans le négatif. Ceux-ci sont renversés sur la carte. L'université, fondée en 1933, est un précurseur de l'« Akademija gos. Protiwoposharnoi slushby MTschS Rossii », qui se trouve aujourd'hui à Moscou. Un « livre photo » fascinant à une période charnière de l'histoire de la Russie. Taille de l'image 12 : 8 cm. Taille de l'album 230 par 300 mm.

Paris: Aux editions Raymond Schall, 1944. First edition. Published on 28th November. The photographs were taken surreptitiously, and at great risk, during the occupation, and the book was prepared during the final stages, allowing it to be published only three months after the liberation. Unpaginated but 27 pages of introduction and 131 pages of photographs with over 225 black and white photogravures. One of 1525 copies. A clean and tidy copy in very good condition, with just a touch of marking / rubbing to the boards. 270 x 220 mm (10¾ x 8¾ inches). Première édition. Publié le 28 novembre. Les photographies ont été prises subrepticement, et à grands risques, pendant l'occupation, et le livre a été préparé lors des phases finales, permettant sa publication seulement 3 mois après la libération. Non paginé mais 27 pages d'introduction et 131 pages de photographies avec plus de 225 photogravures en noir et blanc. Un des 1525 exemplaires. Exemplaire propre et soigné en très bon état, avec juste une touche de marquage/frottement aux plats. 270 x 220 mm

NA. The photo-diary of a German family, who embarked on a world tour in 1928. 227 original photographs and 94 photo-postcards / commercial photographs are collected and captioned on 79 pages. The album was purchased on their journey at Niagara Falls, and is a limp leather, with an original painting of a native American to the front cover. The photographs vary in size, but are mainly about 14 cm x 9 cm each. Most in excellent condition. Often one man (presumably album owner) is marked with a small cross to the image.
Places visited include: The journey on S.S. Lutzow (commissioned 1907 as Norddeutscher Lloyd steamship); New York; Buffalo N.Y.; Niagara Falls; Toronto; Cleveland, Ohio; Detroit, Michigan; Native Americans (posing for tourists in ceremonial dress); Chicago; San Francisco; S.S. Taiyo Maru (Originally the German "Cap Finisterre" handed to the Japanese in 1920 as war reparations); Hawaii & Honolulu, with locals posing for tourists; Tokyo, Japan; Fujiyama; Geisha's and tourist photographs; Kobe; Shanghai; Hong Kong; Manila & Philippines; Singapore; Sumatra; Ceylon; Cairo; Genova; Davos; Switzerland & Germany. The card pages of the album have nicks and closed tears, but not affecting photographs. A fascinating record of a (presumably) wealthy families tour around the world by steam ship and train. 290 x 350 mm (11½ x 13¾ inches).

Na. A lovely large format photograph album of a tour of England and Wales in 1893. There was also a tour of Bavaria, Salsburg and Innsbruck in 1895.

The album starts in 1893 and has 38 photographs (mostly Albumen) of England and Wales. These are mostly large (24cm x 32cm) images. There are some smaller (18.5 cm x 23.5cm). They appear to be commercially purchased photographs. There are also a further 9 smaller (17cm x 22cm and 12cm x 18cm) images of cottages with descriptions on the back. These seem to be personally taken photographs?

The trip began with the Needles on the Isle of Wight, (24cm x 32cm) and continued with similar photographs of the Isle of Wight, Tennyson's house, Southsea & Portsmouth, Tintern Abbey. The tour then moved on to Wales, and there are photographs of North and South Wales, with quite a few of Betws-y-coed, and some bridges in the area. The trip moved on to Chester, with a number of photographs of Eaton House in Chester, and Hatfield house.

A second part of the album covers a trip in 1895, comprising 23 photographs of Bavaria, Salzburg and Innsbruck.

The photographs are all of good condition, still bright, with a touch of fading only. A few have light creasing, or the odd tear where they have come away from the album at some point, but overall a very presentable and attractive album of English and European topography from the 1890's. The album itself is black buckram with leather spine and corners. There is some rubbing to the boards, and some scuffing. A tape repair (with black tape) to the spine. The album measures 37cm x 45 cm. The photographs have hand written annotations below describing the view. There is some staining to the inside boards of the album and a few of the cardboard backing sheets are wavy, but this doesn't really affect the photographs.

London: Elliott & Fry. Albumen image. Profile of Ruskin. Although undated, the image would seem to be Circa 1870. Printed on mount, recto: "John Ruskin M.A., L.L.D. // Elliott & Fry Copyright 55 Baker St London W." Printed to Verso: "Elliott & Fry // Photographers // 55 Baker St, London // W." To the bottom of the verso is printed "Marion, imp Paris" and embossed "Marion & Co. London."It is also printed "No." but no number is written. The photograph was taken in 1867 when Ruskin was 48.
165 by 110mm (6½ by 4¼ inches). The same image is lodged with the National Portrait Gallery. Here it does not have Ruskin's name (but does have the photographer's details. This is catalogued as a carte-de-visite. and dated 1867. Presumably the photographer issued the photograph of Ruskin shortly afterwards. This is referenced NPG Ax39887. The Albumen Process was developed in 1847, and was the first commercially exploitable method of producing a photographic print on a paper base from a negative. It was the dominant form of photographic positive until the turn of the century.

Pierre Lafitte, 1913. Beautiful edition of this work. From the Sports Bibliothèque series. Three quarter leather, with marbled boards, and decoration to the spine and gilt titles. Adorned with 48 pages of photographic illustrations. Although not stated, this has the uneven size and cut of high quality paper, and would seem to be a luxury edition. Light foxing, but overall an attractive copy. Text in French. viii, 370 pages. 220 x 160 mm (8¾ x 6¼ inches). Belle édition de cet ouvrage. De la série Sports Bibliothèque. Trois quarts de cuir, à plats marbrés, et décor au dos et titres dorés. Orné de 48 pages d'illustrations photographiques. Bien que cela ne soit pas indiqué, cela a la taille et la coupe inégales du papier de haute qualité, et semblerait être une édition de luxe. Légères rousseurs, mais dans l'ensemble bel exemplaire. Texte en français. viii, 370 pages. 220 x 160 mm