1930's Shanghai, album of 111 original photographs

We are pleased to offer a spectacular vernacular photo album, which we feel is quite special:

EXTRAORDINARY DOCUMENTATION OF LOST ARCHITECTURE, TRADITIONS

[PHOTOGRAPHY - 20TH CENTURY]. ALBUM OF 111 ORIGINAL PHOTOGRAPHS: SHANGHAI IN THE 1930S. (Photographer unknown) Gelatin silver prints mounted in black photo corners. 111 original photographs, a vernacular album of Shanghai in the mid-thirties. The quality and condition of the photographs are excellent. Although the images range in size from 1 7/8 x 2 3/8 to 5 1/2 x 3 1/8 inches, they contain a world of information: vanished skylines, Deco architecture; people at work, at leisure and with family; temple interiors; waterways and canals; rice fields and farming equipment; and in general, the steady hand and curious mind of the unknown
photographer, who in capturing these moments, would often engage his or her subjects, eliciting smiles and curious glances.

There is evidence of the colonial perspective in some of the neatly hand-lettered captions. While the majority of the images are well-composed and technically very good, there are a surprising number of truly superior photographs which wholly capture the feel, bustle, sights and traditions of 1930s Shanghai. Offered at $7,500.00 #84101 For more images, click here.

We are preparing an electronic catalogue of photography and photographic literature for early next year. To request email notification of the release, please contact us at photographica@rarebook.com.

Seeking photographica

Visitors to the store may have noticed our interest in things relating to photography. In the front room of the shop, we have an 1878 albumen print panoramic triptych of the town of Enfield, Massachusetts, which was razed and flooded (circa 1940) to create the Quabbin Reservoir. In our back room, we have a hulking Kodak Century Master Studio camera (currently without a lens) on an original stand. With our northern window light, perhaps we should make some adaptations to the camera and start making portraits ...

We are always looking for early (19th century) vernacular photograph albums, early photo-illustrated books, and historically interesting photographs (including daguerreotypes, calotypes, Woodburytypes, albumen prints and gelatin silver prints). If you have any of the above to sell, or have questions about appraisals, please contact us at photo@rarebook.com. We'd be glad to look at what you have. If you are outside of the area, you can send some digital photos of the material to the same email address. And, please let us know if you are looking for collectible photographs or photographic literature.