COLLECTION OF PHOTOGRAPHS OF CHINA, INDIA, CEYLON, EGYPT AND NORTH AMERICA

LATE 19TH/EARLY 20TH CENTURY

87 PHOTOGRAPHS FROM CHINA, predominantly taken in Hong Kong and Shanghai, where Schröder was based for some time. These photographs appear to be from Schröder's personal collection and reveal insight into contemporary life of a Western merchant in China, as well as the daily lives of locals. One photograph shows Schröder himself swimming in Hong Kong- he appears standing in the water holding a ball, surrounded by friends, one of whom holds a pet monkey. There are several Shanghai street scenes, notably of the Foreign Settlement and Nanking Road. Another photograph depicts Schröder with three friends in tennis clothing, with one holding a racket, as they lounge outdoors possibly just after a game. The photograph is annotated '13 Mohawk Road, Shanghai' (now South Huangpi Road), which is an address in the International Settlement- this photograph may have been taken at the racecourse which existed on this street. There are also professional photographs taken by William Saunders (1832-1892) and Thomas Child (1841-1898), including the iconic image of the Foreign Office Tsungli Yamen ('Foreign Office') in Beijing from 1878
24 PHOTOGRAPHS FROM USA AND CANADA, including a photograph of the SS Kaiser Wilhelm der Grosse, the transatlantic luxury cruise liner which first entered service when it set sail from Bremerhaven to New York on 19th September 1897, likely the same year as these photographs were taken. It is considered to be the first ever superliner due to its four funnels. 5 sheets are signed WM Notman & Son, the Canadian photography studio which was known for compiling albums for tourists of bourgeoning modern cities and expansive natural landscapes of Canada (here including Mountain Creek Bridge on the Canadian Pacific Railway from c.1884-89, and the Three Sisters peaks near Canmore, Alberta).
15 PHOTOGRAPHS OF EGYPT, including 7 numbered and signed 'Zangaki'. The Zangaki brothers were Greek photographers working in Egypt who specialised in photography for the emerging European tourist market at the end of the nineteenth century. Their works depict both ancient Egyptian landmarks as well as scenes of contemporary life- such as image 572 depicting two men filling baskets with water along the river Nile and image 833 illustrating a staged depiction of two lovers in discussion.
26 PHOTOGRAPHS FROM INDIA, including 7 photo-chrome photographs numbered and signed 'P.Z.' after the Swiss printing company Photoglob Zurich, which still exists today. These coloured works were produced by transferring the photographic negative onto lithographic printing plates. These brightly coloured images show some iconic Indian landmarks such as image 20029 of the Agra Taj Mahal, and image 20006 which shows the Chandi Chowk market, one of the oldest and busiest markets in Delhi. The unsigned photographs depict the architecture of India, for example a photograph of the Lucknow Residence which existed only in ruins at this point, following the unsuccessful Indian Rebellion of 1857 against British ruling, may signify Schröder's own interest in local culture and history.
18 PHOTOGRAPHS FROM SRI LANKA, including 6 signed by Scowen & Co. Charles Scowen was a prominent British photographer working in Sri Lanka from the 1870s until around 1890. His work is noted for its strong compositional qualities, attention to lighting, and high quality printing. He is known for his photographs of Malay women such as the photograph Tamil Cooly Plucking Tea Leaf on offer, and also for landscapes such as the photograph The Lake, Kandy, which is where Scowen was based. Schröder's personal photographs of Sri Lanka echo that of Scowen with images of tea pickers and large fields of tea leaves.
137 PHOTOGRAPHS FROM JAPAN, including 15 professional hand-coloured photographs. These photographs depict both Japanese monuments and scenes of daily life across Japan and were popular modern souvenirs for visiting Europeans. This collection contains scenes such as a warrior fully armoured, a bathroom in hot-spring in Hakone, and farmers working in a tea garden in Fujiyama with a view of Mount Fuji in the distance. The photographers include amongst others Adolfo Farsari (1841-1898), Felice Beato (1832-1909), Ogawa Kazumasa (1860-1929), Tamamura Kozaburo (1856-1923), Suzuki Shin'ichi, Kusakabe Kimbei (1841-1934) and Uchida Kuichi (1844-1875) Smaller unsigned photographs of Japan also form part of this selection, with 8 images per sheet measuring 5.4" x 3.5" each, compared to the average photograph which measures 7.7" x 10.2". These smaller scenes are photo chrome coloured and also depict staged scenes of contemporary life such as women enjoying leisure time, shops displaying their various wares, and busy street scenes during a festival, along with cherry blossom trees in full bloom (qty)

largest 26.5 x 21.7cm