Lot 77
Photo Album of Eretz Israel, 19th century – Decorated Olive-Wood Cover
Photographies de Terre Sainte Boulos Meo, Jerusalem. Produced by Meo Boulos, Jerusalem, [late 19th cent].
25 photos of Eretz Israel are mounted on the album sheets, mainly of the cities of Jerusalem and Jaffa. Photos by French photographer Félix Bonfils, 1831-1885 and the brothers Adelphi and Konstantin Zangaki, active between the years 1880-1890. The photos are annotated in the plates, some in French only and others in English as well. Among the photos: Jaffa and its shore line, market in Jaffa, streets in Jerusalem, Jerusalem within the walls. Absalom's tomb, Holy Sepulcher Church, interior of El-Aksa, Robinson Arch and Mamila Pool. Three photos are unsigned.
The album was produced by Meo Boulos, a shop for souvenirs and photos in Jerusalem founded by a family of Italian origin. The shop opened next to Jaffa gate in 1872 and sold mainly photo albums of pilgrimage sites in olive-wood covers made locally. The album presented is bound in an exceptional olive wood cover. Carved on the front cover are the walls of Jerusalem with a gate and the Tower of David. On the back side appears the inscription “Jerusalem”. Embossed in gold on the spine: Album de Terre Sainte, with two frames of flowers and a Jerusalem Cross. Average size of photos: 22X28 cm. Album 25X32 cm. Photos in good condition, album in fair condition. Leaves somewhat loose. A small green spot on the front cover, spine is not attached to the album, tears on spine.
