Egypt | An album of photographs by Henry Gaskell Close, 1864

Egypt--Henry Gaskell Close.

Album of 45 photographs of Egypt, 1864

Oblong folio (320 x 455 mm), 45 albumen print photographs (of varying sizes, ranging from 115 x 145 mm to 180 x 1050 mm, or the reverse), including 2 folding panoramas of 4 and 3 sheets, photographs mounted on recto only, manuscript captions on versos, 2 with illustrations of hieroglyphs and 1 with manuscript diagram, nineteenth-century dark brown morocco, blind-tooled border roll, marbled endpapers, edges gilt, inner dentelles, some spotting, binding slightly rubbed and scraped, slight fading to a small number of photographs, some wear to final leaf, 3 small tears and 3 repaired tears not affecting photographs

A collection of views of Egypt taken by Henry Gaskell Close during a visit to the region in 1864. The photographs are depictions of monuments and architecture, including pyramids, a sphinx, temples, hieroglyphs, and artwork. 

Henry Gaskell Close was born 2 July 1836 in Naples, the son of Sir James Close and Henrietta Hannah Gaskell, and died 29 January 1913. He was a barrister of the Middle Temple and the father of the travel writer Henrietta “Etta” Close (1871–1945). Little evidence remains of his journey to Egypt, save this album, or indeed his photography. In a letter affixed to the front pastedown of this album, addressed to “My dear Baker” and dated 8 May 1908, Henry writes: “As you have just seen the Nile up to date, it occurred to me that a collection of photographs I took in 1864 might be acceptable to you. These photographs are consequently 44 years old. It will give me much pleasure if you will accept this copy of my early work in photography.” The captions, he admits, are mainly taken from the work of the English traveller, writer and Egyptologist, John Gardner Wilkinson. 

PROVENANCE:

Henry Gaskell Close (1836–1913); gifted probably to Michael Granville Lloyd-Baker (1873-1916) in 1908; by descent until present owner