Item #108072 A nineteenth century album containing 36 photographs of cities, sites and scenes across Belgium. Belgium, NEURDEIN Frères.
A nineteenth century album containing 36 photographs of cities, sites and scenes across Belgium
A nineteenth century album containing 36 photographs of cities, sites and scenes across Belgium
A nineteenth century album containing 36 photographs of cities, sites and scenes across Belgium
A nineteenth century album containing 36 photographs of cities, sites and scenes across Belgium
A nineteenth century album containing 36 photographs of cities, sites and scenes across Belgium
A nineteenth century album containing 36 photographs of cities, sites and scenes across Belgium
A nineteenth century album containing 36 photographs of cities, sites and scenes across Belgium
A nineteenth century album containing 36 photographs of cities, sites and scenes across Belgium
A nineteenth century album containing 36 photographs of cities, sites and scenes across Belgium
A nineteenth century album containing 36 photographs of cities, sites and scenes across Belgium
[Belgium]. NEURDEIN Frères

A nineteenth century album containing 36 photographs of cities, sites and scenes across Belgium

[Paris, Neurdein Frères, circa 1880s].

A vintage album (188 × 270 mm), containing 36 sepia-toned albumen silver photographs (approximately 120 × 190 mm or the reverse) mounted one per page on both sides of thick card leaves, set within decorative borders printed in blue (with 'ND' in the centre of the printer's device in all four corners). Captions printed in black outside the border feature the relevant city in the top margin and the specific scene in the bottom margin.

Half morocco and cloth ruled and lettered ('Belgique') on the spine and front cover, all edges gilt; covers slightly marked and a little worn at the extremities, with expert conservation to the front joint; light uneven tanning to the margins of the leaves; minimal signs of handling; the photographs themselves are in excellent condition.

All the usual attractive architectural suspects are there from Brussels, Bruges, Waterloo, Louvain, Dinant, Ypres, Gand, Spa ... but with the passage of time, the best would have to be the five images depicting activities at the sea-bathing resorts of Ostend and Blankenberghe. Each photograph has a unique three-digit number in the negative, which is also printed on the left-hand side of the bottom margin; a uniform four-digit number (3588) is printed on the right-hand side.

'The Neurdein firm was founded in 1864 by Etienne Neurdein [1832-1918], son of the photographer Charlet. His brother Antonin [1846-1914] soon joined him. This was at first a typical Parisian studio, where people could have their photos taken or buy historical portraits sold as calling cards, but in the 1870s the firm began to target a curious and well-off clientele with its production and sale of tourist views. The number of trips increased, to North Africa, throughout Europe, with the operators bringing back to Paris boxes filled with exotic views which were very popular at the end of the 19th century. The two brothers became nationally famous when they photographed the Paris World Fairs of 1889 and 1900, publishing their photographs in the magazines of the time and in prestigious albums. In addition, the Neurdein firm's editorial activities made it one of the pioneers in the field of publishing photographs: its postcards, published under the brands ND and X were widely distributed' (Galerie Roger-Viollet website). The British Museum records that in 1920 the firm 'traded as Lévy et Neurdein réunis' and in 1932, the joint company was acquired by la Compagnie des Arts Photomécaniques. In 1970, Roger-Viollet purchased its collection of several hundred thousand negatives and photographic albums.

Item #108072

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