“THE LARGEST AND MOST IMPORTANT SINGLE COLLECTION OF QAJAR PHOTOGRAPHS OF PERSIA TO APPEAR AT AUCTION.”
This collection contains an impressive number of royal portraits, photographs by commercial studios, documentary photographs and topographical subjects. The royal portraits include images of Naser al-Din Shah, Mozaffar al-Din Shah, Masud Mirza Zell al-Soltan, and their court and officials, court women, including nude photographs, which may be attributed to Naser al-Din Shah or Dost Mohammad Khan Mo'ayyer al-Mamalek, portraits of officials, and views of palaces. The collection also contains a large number of topographical subjects in Persia, together with images of Mesopotamia, Afghanistan and the Caucasus. The collection also includes scarce images by the famous court photographer Antoin Sevruguin (c.1851-1933).
"Naser al-Din Shah Qajar (1831-1896), one of the last shahs of the Qajar dynasty of Iran (1785-1925) was fascinated by the new European technological innovation of photography. Both Queen Victoria of England and Emperor Nicolas I of Russia gave Naser al-Din Shah's father Mohammed Shah Qajar, daguerreotype cameras gifts. Naser al-Din Shah eventually became an amateur photographer as well as a patron of photography. He established a studio in Golestan Palace and ensured that the Dar Al-Fonun (Abode of Science) offered classes in the techniques and art of photography. He also appointed a number of court photographers who documented not only life within the and outside the royal palaces, but also ancient Iranian archaeological sites" (The Eye of the Shah).
ALBUM HIGHLIGHTS
Qajar royal portraits, palaces and views—Antoin Sevruguin, and others. Album of 50 portraits and views, including many portraits of Qajar royalty, c. 1880-1900
Oblong 4to (208 x 250mm.), 50 albumen prints (130 x 190mm., or the reverse), including a series of portraits of shahs and Persian royalty (some after paintings), the young Ahmad Shah Qajar, groups of officials, the royal palace, notable buildings and topographical views, and two of Mirza Reza Kermani in chains, mounted recto and verso on card, many captioned in pen and ink on the mount, contemporary green velvet, some fading, wear and stains, binding slightly worn, lacking clasp
Palaces and Views in Persia—B. Agaiantz. Album of 34 fine large photographs of royal palaces, gardens, and topographical views in norther Persia and Tehran, c. 1870s-80s
Large oblong folio (325 x 485mm.), 34 large albumen prints (270 x 215mm., or the reverse), mounted recto only on card, each captioned in French and/or Persian and signed by the photographer in the negative, including views of the town and harbour of Enzeli (Bandar-e Anzali) on the Caspian coast, Rasht, Tehran (including palaces, the ministry of Foreign Affairs), additionally captioned in pen and ink in Persian on the mount, contemporary pink velvet, mounts and covers detached
Court Women. Album of 42 photographs of women of the Qajar royal court, including nude and erotic images, c. 1880s
Oblong folio (242 x 310mm.), 42 matt silver prints (220 x 160mm., or the reverse), mounted recto and verso on thick card, contemporary red velvet, silver clasp, fading to images, endpapers torn, lacking catch
Court Women. Album of 18 portraits of court women, c. 1880s-90s
Oblong 4to (160 x 230mm.), 18 photograph portraits (average 170 x 115mm., or the reverse), including albumen prints and collodion prints, mounted recto and verso on card, contemporary bright red velvet, some fading, stains and wear, binding a little rubbed
Court Women. Album of 125 portraits of court women, including 39 nudes, c. 1890
Oblong folio (233 x 310mm.), 125 photographs (average 205 x 150mm., or the reverse), various processes, including albumen, matt, and glossy silver prints, mounted on card, recto and verso, contemporary chagrin, binding becoming detached from mounts, slight wear
Court Women. Album of 19 portraits of court women, including 8 nudes, c. 1880s-90s
Oblong 4to (210 x 260mm.), 19 photographs, various processes, including 2 albumen, the others being matt or glossy silver prints (17: 220 x 154mm., or the reverse, 2 smaller), mounted on card, recto and verso, contemporary red velvet, slight wear or fading to images
Naser Al-Din Shah. Album of 145 portraits and views, many relating to the Shah in older age, hunting trips, social and formal group and individual photographs of the Shah, notable figures, military cadets and others, c. 1880s-90s
Large folio (465 x 305mm.), 145 photographs by various photographers (from 170 x 120mm. to 280 x 390mm.), various processes, mostly glossy and matt silver prints, some albumen, mounted on card, recto and verso, contemporary dark yellow velvet, glossy prints faded, occasional minor wear, binding worn
Court Women, and Hunting scenes in Persia. Album of 14 photographs including nine portraits of court women, and men on a hunting trip, c. 1880s-90s
Oblong 4to (190 x 250mm.), 14 photographs (200 x 145mm., or the reverse), various processes, including 9 portraits of women and 3 of men on a hunting trip, mounted on card recto and verso, contemporary bright red velvet, some fading, wear and stains, binding a little rubbed
Court portraits and palace views. Album of 24 portraits of Persian officials, religious figures, and palace interiors, c. 1890s
Oblong 4to (203 x 260mm.), 24 photographs (from 170 x 225mm to 120 x 165mm., or the reverse), mounted recto and verso on card, most captioned in pen and ink on the mount, contemporary blue velvet, images faded, slight wear to edges of mounts
Views in northern Persia and military subjects. A large album of 133 rare photographs of views and portraits in North and Northeast Persia, and military subjects, c. 1870
Large oblong folio (330 x 360mm.), 133 albumen prints, comprising topographical views and group portraits (average 198 x 250mm.) and 4 cabinet size portraits (170 x 105mm.), mounted recto and verso on card, each with extensive pen and ink calligraphic captions in Persian in red and black ink on the mounts, contemporary calf-backed purple velvet, occasional edge wear to mounts, some captions smudged, occasional minor surface wear, white metal catches, hinges detached, binding worn
Life and recreation in Persia. Album of 14 photographs of life and recreation in Persia, late 1890s
small oblong 4to (150 x 210mm.), 14 collodion prints (120 x 170mm., or the reverse), including portraits of people at leisure, playing chess and other games, smoking water pipes, and busy street scenes, mounted recto and verso on card, contemporary blue velvet, fading to most images, some slight wear and stains
Military Road from the Caspian to Tehran—Dimitri Ermakov. Album of photographs showing the construction of the military road from the Caspian to Tehran, c. 1880s
Large folio (493 x 335mm.), 70 albumen prints (215 x 285mm.), mounted in pairs on thick card mounts, recto and verso, each numbered and captioned in the negative, many with the photographer’s blindstamped signature in the image, contemporary maroon half roan, red cloth boards, upper cover titled in gilt, binding rather rubbed, wear to extremities
Military album of Persia. Album of 27 military photographs, c. 1900
Oblong 4to (245 x 310mm.), 27 matt silver prints (122 x 172mm., or the reverse), mounted on card, recto and verso, contemporary red cloth, upper cover stamped in gilt with the Qajar Imperial arms, minor wear and stains to mounts, some mounts loose, binding detached and slightly worn
The photographs include groups of officers, views of a new barracks partly under construction, including soldiers on parade, in dining areas, the stables, various groups and images of a palace and gardens.
Persia and France. A large album of 104 photographs of the Shah, his court, officers, scenes of life in Persia, views of Paris, and European paintings, c. 1890
Large oblong folio (315 x 375mm.), 104 photographs (average 175 x 220mm., or the reverse), albumen and collodion prints, mounted recto and verso on card, of which 65 relate to Persia and the remainder being views of Paris and European paintings, contemporary red velvet, binding slightly worn, hinges detached, some leaves becoming loose, occasional minor wear and dust-stains
Naser al-Din Shah was the first Persian monarch to formally visit Europe and visited France in 1873, 1878 and 1889. The photographs of Parisian views and art were probably acquired on one of these tours.
Iraq—Album of 44 fine photographs, probably a souvenir of the Shah’s travels in Mesopotamia, 1870
Large oblong folio (330 x 416mm.), 44 albumen prints (mostly 195 x 245mm., or the reverse), some slightly smaller, mounted recto only on loose card mounts, a few photographs mounted in pairs, pen and ink captions in Persian on the mounts, contemporary green velvet boards (the mounts originally bound concertina-style, now loose), occasional stains, and wear to mounts, boards stained and rubbed
In 1870 the Shah travelled to Ottoman provinces and to Najaf and Karbala in Iraq. The photographs include views of Karbala and Najaf, the ancient brick arch at Ctesiphon, ancient monuments and stone carved reliefs, views of tented camps and topographical views. The prints in this album are overall in very good condition with rich tones.
Persia and Iraq. Album of 56 photographs of Persia and Iraq, c. 1934
portfolio containing 56 silver prints (174 x 230mm., image: 118 x 165mm., or the reverse) showing views in and around Isphahan, Persepolis, Mosul, Ctesiphon, Karbala, Samara and Basrah, mostly matt, a few glossy, one trimmed to image, loose as issued in a contemporary grey cloth portfolio and slipcase, spine labelled “Iraq / Iran”, a very little light scattered spotting, slight wear and stained to portfolio
Afghanistan—John Burke and Charles Shepherd. Album titled “Afghanistan, February 1880”, [c. 1870s]
Large oblong folio (345 x 470mm.), 56 albumen prints (most 225 x 280mm., or the reverse) mounted recto only on 54 leaves (including two folding 2-plate panoramas: “Safed Sang Camp from 51st Camp”, 97 x 61mm. and “Bala Hissar” 185 x 62mm.), each titled in pen and ink on the mount, contemporary dark red calf, upper cover titled in gilt, gilt edges, brass lock, binding slightly worn, covers detached
Caucasus—Fliopowicz and A. Michon. Album of 31 photographs of Tiflis and Baku titled “Souvenir de Caucase”, c.1880s
Large oblong folio (320 x 420mm.), 31 albumen prints (235 x310mm., or the reverse), mounted recto only on card, 20 by Filipowicz and 11 by A. Michon, most signed in the negative by the photographer, contemporary crushed red morocco gilt, upper cover stamped in gilt “A son Excellence / Mayer el Mamalek”, spine in compartments gilt, titled on spine “Souvenir de Caucase”, gilt edges, minor wear to edges of some mounts, extremities of bindings rubbed
This album bears a presentation to Husayn 'Ali Khan Mu'ayyir al-Mamalik who was an official who was Treasurer and Head of the Royal Household during the first half of Nasr al-Din Shah, as well as 'Assayer of the Realm' (Mu'ayyir al-Mamalik). The photographs show views of Tiflis and the old fortress, street scenes, the statue of Prince Vorontsov, and notable buildings, views of the River Kura, and churches, and views in and around Baku, including several of gushing oil wells.
Russia—Russian Military Academy, St Petersburg—H. Perl. Album of 26 photographs, c.1890s-early 1900s
Oblong folio (280 x 355mm.), 26 matt silver prints by H. Perl (215 x 185mm., or the reverse), mounted recto and verso on thick card, many showing 2 or more images of exterior and interior views of the military academy, and many portraits of officers and officials, photographer’s stamp on each mount, contemporary textured calf, some ink stains, binding rather rubbed, tear to spine
India—Clifton and Co. of Bombay and others. Album of one hundred photograph portraits and views of India titled “Album Inde”, c.1880s-1900
Folio (355 x 280mm.), 100 photographs (from 110 x 145mm. to 180 x 240mm., or the reverse), including albumen, and glossy or matt silver prints, mounted recto only on card, some with up to 4 photographs on a mount, many with manuscript ink captions in Persian on the mounts, contemporary red morocco-backed red cloth boards, upper cover with leather label, some fading to images, extremities rather rubbed
INDIVIDUAL AND GROUP PHOTOGRAPHS
The collection includes a quantity of cartes-de-visite and cabinet card portraits of Persian subjects, including princely portraits, courtiers, women of the court, and military figures, and c.30 cabinet cards of European subjects, mostly women
LITERATURE
Jennifer Y Chi (ed.). The Eye of the Shah. Qajar Court Photography and the Persian Past. New York University, 2015
Carmen Pérez González. Local Portraiture. Through the lens of the 19th-Century Iranian Photographers. Leiden University Press, 2012
Mohammad Satari, et al. Photographers of the Qajar Period. Tehran Museum of Contemporary Art, 2006
Frederick N. Bohrer. Sevruguin and the Persian Image. Photographs of Iran, 1870-1930. Washington: Smithsonian Institution, 1999
