[WESTERN AMERICANA] [PHOTOGRAPHY] Early 20th century photo album depicting western American vistas, hunting and camping scenes, panoramas, and more

Author: [Photographer not identified]
Title: [WESTERN AMERICANA] [PHOTOGRAPHY] Early 20th century photo album depicting western American vistas, hunting and camping scenes, panoramas, and more
Publication: [Colorado or California?]: [undated, ca. 1915?]

Description: Album. Oblong small quarto (album measuring about 11.5" x 7.5"). 31 cardstock leaves, with photographs tipped in to both sides of each leaf. 89 photographs in total, of varying sizes, but the majority just shy of 5" x 7". Prints are well-preserved, though the carstock leaves are somewhat curled and have occasional corner chips. The binding, while sound, shows rubbing and chips to the corners. Overall in very good or better condition. Very good +.

An unusually arresting photo album of western scenes, with a nice mix of natural wonders, up-close camping and hunting scenes, and even some in-progress infrastructure. Shots depict a camping hunter shaving in the morning, a horseman driving a deam of pack mules with equipment, well over a dozen well-composed shots of mountain peaks and pristine rivers and lakes, some tree clearance, a massive steam shovel, and much more. A dozen images near the rear may be slightly later, depicing a well-heeled hunting party somewhere on the Great Plains (possibly eastern Colorado). A few images include a car that might date from around 1915-1920.

Of particular interest is a group of ten small-format panoramic shots, shot with a wide-angle lens. The prints each measure about 2" x 7", and mostly depict sweeping vistas. The able photographer understood some composition principles, and tended to position something in the foreground to give a sense of depth (such as a pile of pipes near a wooden bridge over a canyon, or a shanty/cabin on the edge of a lake).

Overall an appealing photo album capturing the waning days of the Wild West.

Seller ID: 9479

Subject: Western Americana