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

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.

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.

London: Gale & Polden Ltd, 1913. A silver gelatin photograph of the Army Gymnastic Display Class that appeared at the Royal Tournament of 1913. The photograph is tipped onto a card mount. Very slightly faded photograph, with a touch of glue to the edges. Image size 290 x 200 mm (11½ x7¾ inches). Below the photograph, is the list of those featured with their rank and regiment. The card is in turn mounted beneath a card mount. The mount is faded where it has been under a frame. Some cracking to the card to the rear - slightly creased to the corner of the card. Mount size 44cm x 40cm. The Royal tournament was held each summer at Olympia. Looking at the officers and NCO's here, in the peak of fitness, one inevitably wonders how many of them survived the war which started less than a year later.

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

Rotterdam: Caspari de Geus, 1988. A photograph of the swimming baths chess players of Budapest. Crystal Archive Paper - signed and numbered limited edition 4/15. Analog recording with Nikon F4 - size 30 x 20.2 cm - number, date and name of photographer in front written in India ink - Other information and signature on back. Included with this photograph is a postcard featuring one of Caspari's prints. To the verso is a short note signed by the artist. Rotterdam photographer Caspari de Geus has made over the past 25 years, portraits of hundreds of visual artists, actors, writers, choreographers and musicians (including Jeff Koons, Bono, Louis Armstrong, Jan Wolkers, Santana, Philip Glass, Miles Davis, Alberto Moravia, John Cage, Dennis Hopper, Coetzee, and Grace Jones). He also has regular exhibitions at home and abroad.

Jean Gilletta, 1897. A bound album, entitled Carnaval de Nice. Nice has long been one of the world's major carnival events. The album contains 11 original prints - each 29 cm x 23 cm (11½ by 9 inches) by the photographer Jean Gilletta. The photographs, mainly taken from a high vantage point, show the carnival and its fantastic horse drawn procession. Including giant fish, huge human figures, and towering scary looking depictions of apes!
Jean Gilletta (1856-1933) was a French photographer, who popularised the South of France, in much the same way that Frith did for England. Un album relié, intitulé Carnaval de Nice. Contient 11 tirages originaux - chacun 29cm x 23cm - du photographe Jean Gilletta. Les photographies, principalement d'un point de vue élevé, montrent le carnaval et ses chars fantastiques. Y compris des poissons géants, d'énormes figures humaines et des représentations imposantes et effrayantes de singes!
Jean Gilletta (1856-1933) était un photographe français, qui a popularisé le sud de la France.