North American Scenery. Being Selections from C.J. Way's Studies 1863-64 [12 ALBUMEN PHOTOGRAPHS]
Montreal: W. Notman, [ca. 1864]. First edition. Hardcover. Elephant folio. 18x13". 14 leaves (including 12 plates), unpaginated. Period brown cloth with gilt lettering on the front cover. All edges in gilt. Marbled endpapers. Title page with decorative text printed in a number of different period typefaces. All addition text throughout is finely printed in a cursive typefont.
An album consisting of a series of 12 mounted albumen photographs reproducing original paintings of landscapes in New England and Northeastern Canada by British artist C.J. (Charles Jones) Way (1835-1919). During his career Way was noted for his depictions of North American and European landscapes and seascapes. From 1858 Way settled in Montreal, where he established an art studio, and often collaborated with pioneering Montreal-based photographer William Notman (1826-1891), who had set up one of the most noted early photography studios in the city. Here Notman photographs Way's work with a keen eye and attention to detail. Locations depicted in the images include: the White Mountains (New Hampshire), Mount Desert Island (Maine), The Gaspe Coast (Quebec), Levis/Quebec City, Montreal, and Niagara Falls. The final five images show areas in the vicinity of Saguenay River (Quebec).
Each of the 12 plates is tissue-guarded, with the images and text caption below in landscape orientation. Plates measure approx. 17 3/4 x 12 3/4". The photographs themselves vary slightly in size, but most measure approx. 10" x 6". Table of plates at the front.
Binding with light sunning to the spine and edges of the covers. Covers with some light scratches and a few small stains. Head of spine rubbed, with some light cracking along the front hinge. Interiors mostly clean with a few sporadic instance of light smudges and/or stains to the endpapers and/or margins of plates. Images throughout clean and vibrant. Binding in good+, interior in very good- condition overall. g+ to vg-. Item #54488
Price: $1,250.00