Vintage 19th Century Japanese Photo Album with 50 Hand Tinted Albumen Prints, 14cm x 9cm

19th Century Japanese photo album

日本のビンテージ写真集

A photo album of original albumen prints, hand coloured, of Japanese subjects. The album is presented in concertina style - viewed from one side the content is primarily of Japanese landscapes, townscapes, buildings and landmarks. In the other direction there is mainly portraiture, mostly studio-based, but with some outdoor photography too.

The album dates to around 1890.

The album contains: 

50 mounted albumen prints;

Subjects include:

Yokohama: Cherry blossoms, Hatoba, River and town views; 

Tokio: Shinbashi, Garden, Asakusa, Diagotsu Shiba; 

Nikko: Imaichi Road, Sanjinko, Temple interior and exterior; 

Matsushima: View; 

Eboshiyuwa: Rock near Enoshima view;

Hakone: House, Lake; 

Mount Fuji: Lake view; 

Kioto: View and temple; 

Nagasaki: Views.

...and 25 images of mainly portraiture, including Geisha, workmen, some outdoor scenes, and sumo.

The album is bound with burgundy lacquered wood covers, with nicely detailed designs to front and rear. The font cover features a jinrikisha scene with Mount Fuji in the background. It includes gilt decoration and raised relief heads of the 3 figures. The back cover has a more subdued floral design.

Covers are generally in very good condition with some scuffs and scratches. There are a few chips to extremities and loss to corner of rear.

Inside the mounted prints are generally in good condition - nicely detailed in the main with some fading in places. The hand colouring is good, if a little blocky in places where the image has faded below. Prints with occasional flaw or marking. The mount pages have scattered spotting throughout, but not too obtrusive.

Overall an album of interesting and attractive Japanese photography.

Album Dimensions: approximately 137mm high x 190mm wide x 45mm deep.

Typical print size: approximately 140mm x 90mm (approx 5.5" x 3.5").

Approximate weight of album  716g (unpacked).