Between the Covers

Unbound. Folio. Measuring 13" x 11". Black leather over stiff paper boards with "Photographs" stamped on the front board. Contains 123 sepia-toned or black and white gelatin silver photographs most measuring 4" x 5", with captions. Good only album with detached but present front board and pages, chips, and worn edges, with near fine photographs.

A photo album of excellent amateur photographs from a trip to Alaska in 1930 including some hand colored images. The compiler of the album was clearly interested in the art of photography and includes captions discussing cameras and the scenery. The album begins with a map of the Alaskan railroad detailing their trip in the summer of 1930. They traveled to Alaska via the Canadian Rockies and began documenting the trip in Montreal. The city is seen in photos of the downtown area with images of businesses and horses with the caption, “Montreal city of the new and old” and another one that reads “there are plenty of horses.” From Montreal they went to British Columbia and stayed at Lake Louise. The photos show the group approaching the Rockies, the expansive landscape of rivers and trees, a tee-pee on the lake, and animals including bison, moose, and black bears. Throughout the album are tiny stick figure cartoons which feature the tourists carrying their camera throughout the trip. One cartoon shows a small stick figure running after a stick figure with a hat which reads, “oh papa! Be careful the camera will open!” They visited Victoria and photographed the shore, the parliament, and then next on to Seattle. From there they entered Alaska via the Alaska railroad and began. One section of photos shows a tour of the Columbian Glacier and another shows a trip up Mt. McKinley. They visited a ranch and spent time with young sled dogs. One photo is captioned “under the wonder of the Midnight Sun,” another shows them panning for gold. The album features beautiful images of the Alaskan landscape including the coast, glaciers, and waterfalls. Also included are itineraries and letters detailing various transportation they used. The album ends with menus from their farewell dinner which feature illustrations of Native Americans, totem poles, and Alaskan mountains.

A collection of better than average travel photographs detailing 1930s Alaska and Canada.

Item #412488