Egypt—attributed to Robert Murray | Temple of Abou Simbel, c.1857

Egypt—attributed to Robert Murray

Temple of Abou Simbel, c.1856

lightly albumenised salted paper print (183 x 227mm.), with visible watermark on the left edge reading "PHOTOGRAPHIC R. TUR" (see footnote), mounted on paper with ink caption "Excavated Temple at Aboo Simble - Nubia", mounted on card, presented in a mount

A very good and rare calotype of Egypt.

The whole watermark (when present) reads "PHOTOGRAPHIC R. TURNER CHAFFORD MILLS". This paper was known to have been used by Robert Murray; a calotype by Murray of the Island of Philae bears a watermark down the right hand edge which has the final "ER" of R TURNER followed by CHAFFORD MILLS (Osman).

Robert Murray was chief engineer to the viceroy of Egypt and some of his photographs were exhibited in his time.

LITERATURE:

cf. Colin Osman Hon FRPS, Calotype papers and Richard Turner of Chafford Mills (published in Journal of the British association of paper historians, April 1997)