- REMARKABLE AND CANDID IMAGES OF THE LIFE OF FRENCH SOLDIERS ON THE FRONT LINE IN WW1  -

PATRAS (J., French photographer active on the front line in France in WW1).

Superb album of original 24 silver gelatin photographs documenting life on the World War One front line in 1917.

(Paris): Cliche J. Patras, 1917. Original buff blind-stamped card covers with cord binding. 24 gelatin silver photographs, mounted in apertures, recto and verso, of thin card leaves. Purple mimeograph captions in English pasted to bottom edge of mounts, all dated in 1917. Photographs with purple wet-stamps on rear, repeating captions and giving photographer's studio details 'Cliché J. Patras / Reproduction interdite (copyright) / 72, Rue Vasco-de-Gama, Paris-XVme.'. Margin of first and last pages also bearing photographer's wet stamp. Size: album - (oblong 4to) 26cm x 18.5cm / photographs (inc. thin white borders) - 18cm x 12.8cm.

Very Good condition. Minor edgewear to album covers. Small surface blemishes and/or light creasing to a handful of photographs. Tones generally still good, with just the odd patch of marginal silvering. A couple of photos with patches of age-toning. Well-preserved on the whole. Please ask if you require a more detailed condition report, or view gallery images closely.

These astonishing and rare original silver gelatin photographs by J. Patras give a candid view of front-line life amongst French troops in WW1 in 1917. Little is known about Patras, though there is some speculation that he may have been a stretcher bearer during the war. The photographs are mounted in their original card & cord binding. A wonderful collection.