Description
A substantial pre-First World War photograph album titled “South Africa 1913”, containing approximately 163 vintage gelatin silver photographs and contemporary postcards documenting a wide-ranging journey through Southern and Eastern Africa, together with rare views of Ascension Island and St Helena.
The album is especially notable for its inclusion of 15 images of Ascension Island and 12 images of St Helena, both remote Atlantic locations seldom encountered in personal travel albums of this period. These sections include views of port infrastructure, island landscapes, Jamestown, and sites associated with Napoleon.
The African content is extensive and varied, including Victoria Falls, the Zambezi, South Africa, Mozambique, Kenya, Zanzibar, Aden, Suez and Egypt. Together, the images form a rich visual record of colonial-era travel, maritime routes, landscapes, port towns, transport, tourism and imperial infrastructure immediately before the outbreak of the First World War.
The Victoria Falls section is particularly strong, with 19 images showing river views, gorge perspectives and early tourist scenes. The Zambezi photographs add further context, while the South African section forms the largest part of the album, comprising approximately 60 images.
Several pages include brief manuscript captions in ink, adding useful identification and period context. The combination of original photographs and contemporary postcards gives the album both documentary and visual appeal, reflecting the way early twentieth-century travellers constructed personal records of journeys across empire, ocean routes and celebrated natural landmarks.
The album’s scale, condition and range of content make it a particularly desirable survival, with the Ascension and St Helena groups providing a level of rarity and collecting interest beyond the usual South Africa travel album.
Contents
Approximate subject breakdown:
Victoria Falls: 19 images
Ascension Island: 15 images
St Helena: 12 images
Zambezi River: 12 images
South Africa: 60 images
Mozambique: 8 images
Kenya / Zanzibar: 7 images
Aden: 3 images
Suez / Egypt: 13 images
Other African subjects: 3 images
Physical Details
Large and heavy photograph album, bound in half black leather over green cloth, with gilt title to upper cover: “South Africa 1913”.
Contains approximately 163 gelatin silver photographs and postcards, mounted on one side only of thick green card leaves, usually three to four images per page. Versos blank.
Album size: approximately 43 × 30 × 5 cm.
Photograph / postcard sizes vary, typically approximately 12 × 9.5 cm, 13.5 × 8 cm, and 14 × 9 cm.
Album weight exceeds 5kg; shipping will be charged at cost.
Condition
Album in Near Fine condition: strong, clean and well preserved, with only very light rubbing to binding edges.
Photographs and postcards Very Good overall. Most images are well preserved with good contrast and tone. Occasional light corner wear or surface marks, with a few images showing minor age-toning and/or fading. Please examine gallery images closely or request a more detailed condition report if required.
Historical Interest
This impressive album captures a journey through some of the key imperial, maritime and natural landmarks of Africa and the surrounding sea routes in 1913, on the eve of the First World War.
Its range extends from celebrated tourist destinations such as Victoria Falls to strategically significant maritime stops such as Ascension, St Helena, Aden and Suez. The result is a broad and atmospheric record of colonial travel, combining private experience with the wider geography of empire.
The presence of Ascension Island and St Helena is especially important. Both islands occupied significant positions in Atlantic navigation and imperial communication, yet they are far less commonly represented in private photographic albums than mainland South African or Egyptian subjects.
A substantial and highly collectible album of African and Atlantic travel photography, unusually rich in remote island content and preserved in an impressive large-format binding.