mammoth-plate albumen print, signed and dated '1858' in the negative, on a gilt-edged mount, title in letterpress on the mount, framed, 1857-58

Fraenkel Gallery, San Francisco, 1999

Julia Van Haaften and Jon E. Manchip White, Egypt and the Holy Land in Historic Photographs: 77 Views by Francis Frith (New York, 1980), pl. 9

Grading this albumen print on a scale of 1 to 10 - a 10 being a print that has rich, deep dark tones and highlights that retain all of their original detail - this print rates a 9. There is no fading of the subtly modulated tones, which range from bright, creamy highlights to rich, chocolate dark tones. The density and details of the pyramids, however, are rendered somewhat light in this print. As has been seen in other prints from 'Egypt, Sinai and Jerusalem,' in the upper portion of the image, horizontal striations and creasing are visible only upon very close examination in high raking light. This may be a result of how the print was originally mounted and does not appear to be a condition of its age. Also visible when the print is examined closely are the following: 2 tiny, dark, opaque deposits of indeterminate nature to the left of the right-most pyramid; an isolated area of faint soiling in the upper central portion of the image; and a small diagonal crease that is barely discernible in the left-most pyramid. There is a very small loss to the lower left tip of the image. The photograph is on a heavy paper mount with gilt edges. There is a large light rust-colored tideline along the left mount edge and small areas of dampstaining along the upper edge; this does not affect the print. Some light soiling, foxing, and age-darkening are visible on the front and reverse of the mount.
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