Photographer unknown. Views of China, including Shanghai, Peking, Tsingtao and others. Circa 1880-1900. Circa 69 vintage collodion paper and albumen prints. Various sizes between circa 13 x 18 cm and 21 x 28 cm. Mounted to album boards (some foxing), some annotated in German in pencil on album boards, bound in modern half-leather, green canvas album.
This album comprises images of monuments and temples, harbor scenes with war ships and daily rural life, as well as scenes from the Boxer Revolt. There are also portraits of two important dignitaries Zhang Zhidong (1837-1909) and Li Hongzhang (1823-1901). – Some prints with light surface rubbing or spots, some faded, most strong and clear images in very good condition.
Photographer unknown. Views of China, mostly Beijing. Circa 1900. Circa 70 vintage collodion paper prints. Various sizes between circa 18 x 26 cm, 11 x 16 and smaller. Mounted to album boards (some foxing), bound in black lacquer album with MOP inlay (pieces missing, inner binding loose).
This album was compiled around the time of the Boxer Revolt and shows many soldiers of various countries such as Russia, India and Germany, posing in front of temples and monuments in and around Beijing. Also includes images of Chinese craftsmen, street sellers as well as studio portraits. – Some prints with light surface rubbing or spots, some faded, many strong and clear images in very good condition.
Cuccioni, Tommaso and James Anderson
Forum Romanum and the Temple of Saturn; Temple of Vespasian, Rome
Los 4033
Schätzung
1.200€ (US$ 1,333)
Forum Romanum and the Temple of Saturn; Temple of Vespasian, Rome. 1855 and circa 1860. 2 large-format albumen prints. 34 x 46 cm and 37 x 28 cm. Each mounted to original board (traces of use in edges, some spots, slightly dusty), Vespasian print with "Jos. Spithöver Roma" blind stamp in lower right, each annotated in Italian in ink below the image on the mount.
Tommaso Cuccioni was active in Rome from ca. 1830 as a lithographer and print publisher, with a studio on the centrally located Via dei Condotti, a popular destination for affluent English tourists. Embracing photography in 1852, he began producing large-format views of Roman landmarks, offering a new and highly effective form of visual souvenir. Few of these early prints survive and such large-formats are rare. – Forum Romanum with Saturn Temple print with one light foxing spot in sky area, minimal mirroring in lower dark area, more visible at an angle, both prints with a few light surface scuff marks, otherwise in very good condition with strong tones.
Lit.: Dorothea Ritter. Rom 1846-1870. James Anderson und die Maler-Fotografen, Sammlung Siegert. Munich 2005, ill. pp. 140-141.
Photographer: Jean-Baptiste Sabatier-Blot (1801-1881). Portrait of a scholar. 1840s. Quarter-plate daguerreotype in fabric-lined frame. 17 x 13 cm. Signed "Sabatier, Palais Royal 137" in ink on lower margin.
Jean-Baptiste Sabatier-Blot was a French miniaturist who transitioned to photography in 1842, opening a prominent daguerreotype studio in Paris’s Palais-Royal. One of his most significant contributions is his 1844 portrait of Louis-Jacques-Mandé Daguerre, among the few known photographs of the inventor. An active member of the photographic community, he joined the Société héliographique in 1851 and was a founding member of the Société française de photographie (1854). His works are preserved in institutions such as the Musée d’Orsay and the Bibliothèque nationale de France. – Some signs of oxidation along edges of plate, otherwise in very good condition.
Photographer: Philipp Graff (1813-1851). Portrait of two women. Circa 1845. Sixth-plate daguerreotype, with ornamental gilt and red velvet frame, mounted under glass, photographer's label, "P. Graff. Mechaniker, Optiker u. Daguerreotypist, Jerusalemerstr. No. 18" on the verso, in matching silk and velvet lined, gilt embossed leather case (some scratch/scuff marks, faded).
Julius Philipp Graff was a German entrepreneur, mechanic, optician and daguerreotypist. He made a name for himself as one of the most important Berlin portraitists and ran his photographic studio at Jerusalemer Straße 18 in Berlin. As early as 1843, he advertised his business with various labels. – Some oxidation around edges, a few small spots on plate, otherwise in good condition.
Photographer: William Edward Kilburn (1818-1891). Portrait of a gentleman. 1850s. Hand-colored quarter-plate daguerreotype in leather casing (slightly rubbed). 9,5 x 12 cm. With the photographer's "234 Regent Street" studio stamp gilt-embossed onto cover.
William Edward Kilburn was active as a daguerreotypist in London since 1846, running one of the city’s most successful studios alongside that of Richard Beard. He was the first photographer to be granted the title of court photographer to the British royal family. Kilburn’s daguerreotypes feature delicately stippled cloud backgrounds, created with a fine pigment dust - a technique he adopted from Beard. It is believed that the well-known miniature painter, L. Mansion, was responsible for these atmospheric effects. Kilburn gained international recognition at the 1851 Great Exhibition, where he was awarded a medal for his hand-colored portraits. – Some signs of oxidation along edges of plate, otherwise in very good condition.
Photographer: Carl Gustav Oehme (1817-1881). Portrait of a woman (Minna Schweitzer). Mid-1850s. Sixth-plate daguerreotype, with ornamental gilt surround (some small spots), mounted under glass with stand prop, photographer's label, address "Jäger Str. No. 19" on the verso, in green silk lined leather case (some scratch/scuff marks, edges partially rubbed).
Carl Gustav Oehme was an early German photographer and apparatus builder. He studied the Daguerreotype process in Paris after meeting Louis Daguerre in 1840 and continued to produce daguerreotypes until 1862. The same year Oehme was awarded a medal at the World Exhibition in London. – Some oxidation around edges, a few light scuff marks on plate, otherwise a strong image in very good condition.
Photographer unknown. Family portrait. 1840s. Half-plate daguerreotype in leather casing (slightly scratched). 20,5 x 18 cm.
Plate slightly scratched, some signs of oxidation along edges of plate, otherwise in good condition.
Photographer unknown. Young man with cigar. 1850s. Hand-colored sixth-plate daguerreotype in leather casing (edges rubbed). 9,5 x 8 cm.
Some minor oxidation spots along edges of plate, otherwise in excellent condition.
Photographer unknown. Brother and two sisters. 1850s. Quarter plate daguerreotype. 7 x 9 cm (13 x 15 cm). Sealed in glass black frame with gilt-lined window mat.
Some oxidation around edges and slightly into image, otherwise in good condition.
Coming home from the Marshes. ca. 1886. Platinum palladium print. 18,9 x 28,5 cm (29,1 x 41,5 cm). Mounted to board (slightly soiled), with the original printed tissue overlay and corresponding album page from Life and Landscape on the Norfolk Broads.
Peter Henry Emerson was an important figure in the development of naturalistic photography. Rejecting the sharp-focus precision of the time, he used selective focus and tonal subtleties to create images that mimicked human vision, blending documentary realism with artistic expression. His seminal work, Life and Landscape on the Norfolk Broads (1886), captures Fenland laborers and fishermen in their natural environment. Influenced by the Barbizon School and contemporary vision theories, he used platinum prints and photogravures to render soft, atmospheric images. Though Emerson later questioned photography’s artistic potential, his work influenced Pictorialism and remains a milestone in documentary and fine art photography. Prints of his images are housed in institutions such as the Minneapolis Institute of Art, LACMA, the National Gallery of Art, and the Museum of Fine Arts, Houston. – Some small stains, otherwise a fine tonal print in excellent condition.
Lit.: Peter Henry Emerson. Life and Landscape on the Norfolk Broads. London: 1886. ill. pl. 1.
Officers and Men of the 8th Hussars. 1855. Salted paper print mounted to board. 15,2 x 15,2 cm (16,8 x 17,2 cm). Titled in pencil on mount verso.
Roger Fenton played a pioneering role in war photography. Owing to a commission, he documented the Crimean War in 1855 through carefully staged images in a natural setting, emphasizing military discipline and camaraderie over combat. His portraits of regiments like the 8th Hussars, known for their role in the Charge of the Light Brigade, shaped public perception by highlighting heroism over hardship, in line with Victorian expectations. This approach set a precedent for war photography as both historical documentation and visual narrative, influencing future generations of photographers in their depiction of military conflict. Prints of this image are held in the Getty Museum, the Royal Collection Trust, and the Musée d’Orsay.
– Some light fading along edges, some light water stains, otherwise in very good condition.
Young faun. 1890s. Salted paper print. 26,5 x 20,2 cm. Numbered "1741" in blue crayon and photographer's "Taormina-Italia-Sicilia" studio stamp on the verso.
Wilhelm von Gloeden was a German photographer known for his idealized images depicting male nudes, often set in the natural landscape of Taormina, Sicily. His work, which evoked themes of classical antiquity, became famous for its aesthetic beauty and subtle homoeroticism, gaining recognition among art collectors in Europe. While controversial at the time for its subject matter, von Gloeden’s photography has since been recognized as pioneering in the fields of both art photography and the male nude genre. – Some light irregularities in negative and minimal foxing, otherwise a strong print in very good condition.
Portrait of a boy. 1890s. Albumen print. 22,5 x 16,8 cm. Numbered "2071" in blue crayon and photographer's "Taormina-Sicilia" studio stamp on the verso.
Some light handling creases and minimal fading along edges of print, otherwise in very good condition.
Lit.: Italo Zannier. Wilhelm von Gloeden. Fotografie Nudi, Paesaggi, Scene di genere. Florence 2008, ill. p. 129 (variant).
Green, John Beasley
Isis Temple, Isle of Philae, Egypt
Los 4045
Schätzung
1.500€ (US$ 1,667)
Isis Temple, Isle of Philae, Egypt. Circa 1853-1854. Salted paper print. 22,7 x 29,4 cm (46 x 56,2 cm). Signed and numbered in the negative in lower margin, hinge-mounted to board
A leading figure in 19th-century photography, John Beasley Greene was one of the earliest archaeological documentary photographers. As a trained Egyptologist and an early practitioner of photography, Greene approached his work with a rigorous scientific methodology, using the camera to document ancient sites with remarkable precision. His photographs, often characterized by their spare, almost minimalist compositions, reflect a modern sensibility unusual for his time, emphasizing geometric forms, light, and shadow rather than merely serving as visual records. – Some smudge marks, some very light fading along edges of print, otherwise a strong tonal print in very good condition.
Green, John Beasley
Mountain and Temple of Gerf Hussein, Egypt.
Los 4046
Schätzung
1.200€ (US$ 1,333)
Mountain and Temple of Gerf Hussein, Egypt. Circa 1853/54. Salted paper print mounted to board. 23,4 x 29,7 cm (40 x 56,7 cm). Signed and numbered in the negative on lower margin, annotated in pencil on the mount below the image.
Some smudge marks, some very light fading along edges of print, otherwise a strong tonal print in very good condition.
Gsell, Émile
Studio portrait of Governor Tan-Phu-Thu of Hai-Duong,Tonkin
Los 4047
Schätzung
2.000€ (US$ 2,222)
Studio portrait of Governor Tan-Phu-Thu of Hai-Duong, Tonkin. 1870s. Albumen print. 27,5 x 21 cm. Mounted to board.
The French photographer Émile Gsell worked in Southeast Asia and was the first photographer based in Saigon. He participated in at least three scientific expeditions and his images of Angkor Wat are some of the earliest of that site. He also took many portraits of natives, important dignitaries and official figures. – A few light surface scuff marks, some bumps from mounting, a few oxidation spots in lower right and upper left, some small retouched spots, otherwise a strong print in very good condition.
Lit.: Terry Bennett. Early Photography in Vietnam. Kent 2020, ill. p. 92.
Views of Egypt. 1860s. 2 albumen prints mounted to board (corners bumped, time-stained in edges). Each circa 24 x 31 cm (38 x 45 cm). Signed and numbered by the photographer in the negative in lower left corner; with title printed below the image on the mount.
Born in Berlin, Wilhelm Hammerschmidt was an established professional photographer, when he relocated to Cairo circa 1860. There, he founded the Hammerschmidt shop, a photographic studio and supply store that quickly became a hub for both local and visiting photographers. In 1861, he exhibited ten views of Egypt at the Société Française de Photographie in Paris, and became a member the following year. Hammerschmidt specialized in architectural views, costume portraits, and ethnographic studies, which he presented to international audiences, notably at the Exposition Universelle in Paris, in 1867. In addition to his extensive work in Egypt, he also photographed in Syria and Nubia. The photographs in this group include a striking view of the Nile cataracts near Aswan and the Tomb of the Califs on the outskirts of Cairo. – Some scuff marks, some fading in edges as well as traces of silver mirroring in shadow areas, otherwise in very good condition.
Hanfstaengl, Franz and Others
Selected early portraits of German artists
Los 4049
Schätzung
600€ (US$ 667)
(Attributed to). Selected early portraits of German artists (Munich?). 1850s. 3 salted paper prints from calotype negatives. Each circa 18 x 15 cm.
Fading in edges, otherwise in good condition.
Photographer unknown. View of Heidelberg from the castle terrace. Mid-1860s. Mammoth albumen print from a collodion glass plate negative. 40,2 x 50,5 cm. Mounted to board (slight traces of use).
This image is not published in Milan Chlumsky (ed.). Das Heidelberger Schloß in der Fotografie vor 1900. Heidelberg 1990. – A few light surface scratches and surface rubbing, a few retouched spots in dark areas, otherwise a rich tonal print in very good condition with a strong violet-brown tone.
Hill, David Octavius and Robert Adamson
John Henning as Edie Ochiltree
Los 4051
Schätzung
800€ (US$ 889)
John Henning as Edie Ochiltree. Circa 1845. Salted paper print on original board mounted to modern mat. 20,5 x 15,8 cm (52 x 44 cm). Titled in pencil on board.
David Octavius Hill and Robert Adamson, pioneers of Scottish photography, formed a groundbreaking partnership in 1843, establishing Scotland’s first photography studio at Rock House on Calton Hill, Edinburgh. Renowned for their collaborative work, they produced approximately 3,000 calotypes over four years, capturing a diverse range of subjects, including notable Scottish figures, local landscapes, urban scenes, and the daily lives of Newhaven fishermen and their wives. Their innovative use of the calotype process and their artistic compositions significantly contributed to the early development of photography as an art form. – Some light buckling, small crease in lower left corner, otherwise in very good condition.
Lit.: Katherine Michaelson. A Centenary Exhibition of the Work of David Octavius Hill (1802-1870) and Robert Adamson (1821-1848). Edinburgh 1970, ill. p. 117.
Photographer: Oscar Mallitte (1829-1905). Views of Southern India and Bengal. Late 1860s/70s. 19 albumen prints. Most circa 18 x 22 cm and a few smaller. Some with Roman number in lower/upper corner in ink, mounted along edges to brown card (slight traces of use).
This early group of views includes notable sites such as the Nataraja Temple in Chidambaram, the Brihadisvara Temple in Thanjavur, and scenes from Tharangambadi (Tranquebar), Pondicherry, Nagapattinam, Gingee, and Villianur.
We extend our thanks to Joachim K. Bautze for the attribution of Oscar Mallitte as the photographer of these views. – Some faded, a few with scuffed/rubbed areas, some traces of glue showing through from verso, a few with spots.
Photographers: Clifton & Co. (active 1896-1933), and others. Views of India. 1890s-1910s. 42 collotypes and 9 collodion prints. Each between 18,2 x 24,4 and 23,5 x 30,3 cm. Most captioned and signed in negative in lower margin; some with annotations in pencil as well as "Dr. Arthur Berger" collection stamp on the verso.
This group of photographs by Clifton & Co., a prominent Anglo-Indian studio, founded by Harry Clifton Soundy, in Bombay around 1896/97, captures key sites and scenes across colonial India. Subjects include major monuments such as the Qutb Minar, Humayun’s Tomb, Pearl Mosque, Gate of the Taj Mahal, and the Tomb of Salim Chishti, as well as views of Benares, Gwalior, Ahmedabad, and Calcutta. The selection also features ethnographic portraits, famine-related imagery, and landscapes like Duke’s Nose in Khandala. Known for their high-quality prints, Clifton & Co. produced work for albums, postcards, and the expatriate and tourist markets. – Some light fading as well as some creases on margins of some prints, otherwise all in good to very good condition.
Provenance: Estate of Dr. Arthur Berger
Photographers: Felice Beato (1832-1909), Baron Raimund von Stillfried-Rathenitz (1839-1911), Kusakabe Kimbei (1841-1934), and others. People and landscapes of Japan. 1860s-1890s. 22 albumen prints, most matted or mounted to board (some foxing). Each between 26 × 21 cm and 23,5 × 29,5 cm. Some captioned and numbered in the negative in lower margin.
This selection of photographs features landscape views and portraits by various photographers from the Yokohama School, including iconic sites such as the Sacred Bridge at Nikkō and the Kasuga Shrine in Nara, alongside studio portraits of women in traditional dress, Kendo practitioners, Buddhist monks in ceremonial robes, musicians with classical instruments, and scenes from everyday life. – Some fading, light scuff marks and foxing, otherwise all in good to very good condition.
Photographers: Baron Raimund von Stillfried-Rathenitz (1839-1911), Felice Beato (1832-1909), Kusakabe Kimbei (1841-1934), Kozaburo Tamamura (1856-1923) and others. People of Japan. 1860s-1890s. 50 albumen prints mounted to gilt-edged album pages (some light time stains). Each ca 9 x 13,5 cm (11 x 15,5 cm). Presented as leporello in contemporary silk-covered album, featuring floral motif woven in gold thread.
This album features a wide range of portraits including Samurai in full armor, geisha engaged in music and dance, women bathing and dressing, tattooed men, craftsmen such as butchers and shoemakers, and vendors with their wares. It also includes group portraits of children and families, along with scenes of daily life, transportation by rickshaw and palanquin as well as outdoor leisure, offering a vivid portrayal of the era’s social types and cultural practices. – Some scuff marks, fading and minimal signs of oxidation aloing edges of some prints, otherwise all in good to very condition.
Photographers: Takashima Suteta (1864-1911), Kajima Seibei (1866-1924), Kusakabe Kimbei (1841-1932) and others. Views of the Tōkaidō Road. 1870-1890. 50 hand-colored albumen prints mounted to gilt-edged album pages (slightly warped, some foxing). Each circa 9 x 13,5 cm (14,5 x 19 cm). A number of prints with title and number in the negative in lower margin. Bound as leporello in contemporary red lacquer album with relief landscape scene in gold and mother of pearl inlays (some chips/scratches).
This attractive album features various landscape views along the Tōkaidō Road, including of Mount Fuji, Hakone, Yokohama, and Kanagawa, alongside depictions of significant Japanese landmarks such as Kumamoto Castle, the torii gates at Fushimi Inari in Kyoto, and Tanzan Shrine in Nara. Also included are a number of charming genre scenes and portraits of Japanese geishas, some of which can be attributed to Kajima Seibei and Takashima Suteta. – Some fading, foxing and light scuff marks on some prints, otherwise all in good to very good condition.
Photographers: Kusakabe Kimbei (1841-1934), Ogawa Kazumasa (1860-1929), Kajima Seibei (1866-1924), and others. Selected views of Japan. 1880s-early 1900s. Circa 150 albumen prints, 1 collodion print, and 6 collotypes mounted to gilt-edged album pages. Each between 22 x 28 cm or reverse. Most with caption in the negative in lower margin. Presented in three full-leather albums with decorative tooling (edges rubbed, spine slightly frayed).
These albums offer an extensive visual record of popular tourist destinations throughout Meiji-era Japan, including Yokohama, Kanagawa, Hakone, Enoshima, Nara, Nagasaki, and Nikko, as well as a variety of views of iconic landmarks, including Mount Fuji and the Great Buddha of Kamakura. It also features a wide array of temples and gardens in Tokyo and Kyoto, along with a selection of portraits of geishas and depictions of quotidian life. – Some minimal scuff marks and light fading, otherwise all in very good condition.
Provenance: Estate of Dr. Arthur Berger
Photographers: Felice Beato (1832-1909), Baron Raimund von Stillfried-Rathenitz (1839-1911), Kusakabe Kimbei (1841-1934), Enami Nobukuni (1859-1929), and others. Views of landmarks and people of Japan. 1880s-1890s. 98 albumen prints mounted to album pages (some loose or torn). Each ca. 20,5 x 26 cm or reverse (24 x 32 cm). Some with title in negative in lower margin, all with hand-written captions in black ink on label below the image. Bound in contemporary red-cloth album with intricate embossed patterns, gilt detailing, and embossed title on front cover (some fraying of the spine and partially detached decorative label).
This album features a diverse collection of occupational portraits, genre studies, and depictions of Japanese ethnic groups, including the Ainu, alongside iconic landmarks such as Kyoto’s Sanjūsangendō Temple, Kinkaku-ji, and the Great Buddha of Kamakura. – Some fading, foxing, and buckling, along with small tears, creases, and glue marks on some prints; slight fading along the edges, but overall in good condition.
Views of Spain. 1865-70s. 37 albumen prints. Various sizes between circa 23 x 34 cm and 16 x 22 cm, a few 11 x 15 cm. Many with number, title and photographer's name in the negative in lower edge, mounted to board (soiled).
Jean Laurent opened a daguerreotype studio in Paris under the name Laurent & Company in 1843. Around 1857, he relocated to Spain and established a studio in Madrid, where he became one of the most influential photographers of 19th-century Spain and Portugal. His prolific output covered a wide range of subjects, including cityscapes, architecture, historic monuments, Old Master paintings, and portraits of people from all social classes. This comprehensive collection includes three fold-out panoramic views of Cartagena, San Sebastián (each approx. 24 × 102 cm), and Burgos (24 × 69 cm), as well as individual views of Murcia, Orihuela, Elche-Alicante, Ronda, Gibraltar, Seville, Córdoba, Toledo, Aranjuez, El Escorial, Madrid, and Cádiz. One photograph bears the stamp of Francisco Rocchini (1822-1895) on the mount. – Most with fading in edges, some with light foxing, some handling creases, some with stronger creases, otherwise in good condition, several with strong contrasts.
Charles-Pierre Victor, Comte Pajol. Circa 1857. Albumen print. 32 x 24,5 cm (62,5 x 48 cm). With photographer's signature stamp in red ink in lower right corner, mounted to board (slightly soiled).
Gustave Le Gray, one of the most influential figures in 19th-century photography, is widely celebrated for his pioneering technical innovations and mastery of light. While best known for his striking seascapes and landscapes, Le Gray was also a highly skilled portraitist, frequently commissioned to depict military and aristocratic figures of France’s Second Empire. This portrait features Charles-Pierre-Victor, Comte Pajol (1821-1891), a decorated French general and nobleman. Captured in full dress uniform adorned with medals, Pajol is presented with a commanding presence, his attire reflecting his esteemed military career and noble lineage. – Some very light scuff marks, a small stain near the sitter’s shoulder, and a crease in the lower right corner, otherwise a fine tonal print in near excellent condition.
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Galerie Bassenge
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Öffnungszeiten:
Montag bis Donnerstag, 10–18 Uhr,
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Telefon: +49 30 8938029-0
Fax: +49 30 8918025
E-Mail: info (at) bassenge.com
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© 2024 Galerie Gerda Bassenge
Galerie Bassenge
Erdener Str. 5A
14193 Berlin
Öffnungszeiten:
Montag bis Donnerstag, 10–18 Uhr,
Freitag, 10–16 Uhr
Telefon: +49 30 8938029-0
Fax: +49 30 8918025
E-Mail: info (at) bassenge.com
Impressum
Datenschutzerklärung
© 2022 Galerie Gerda Bassenge