Ornate Photo Album Cover, ca.1873
Item — Photo Album: 1, Page: 1
Scope and Content:
From the Collection:
The photo album consists of an ornate cover that is composed of metal sculpture and ivory reliefs with gemstones inlaid outlining the edges, and thirty-two photographs from various towns and locations across Hannover, now Lower Saxony in Germany. The thirty-two photographs consist of town squares, town halls, castles, cathedrals, and landscape views of cities and waterfronts in, as they appear, Hannover, Hamelin, Polle, Hildesheim, Loccum, Hann-Münden, Harz, . There are no portraits of living subjects, with the only people being shown were most likely caught in the photo, walking past as it was taken. The photographs date most likely pre-1900, as one of the photos contains a suspension bridge that was destroyed in 1892, with the cover showing the years 1867 and 1873. Researchers can expect to find various architecture styles as well as a glimpse into daily life for someone living in late 19th century Germany. There are no dates nor signatures within the actual pages except for the last 5 pages, consisting of various government and religious institutions in the towns and areas where the photos were taken.
Dates
- Created: ca.1873
Creator
Access:
Open for research.
Extent
1 items
Language of Materials
From the Collection: English
Type of Material:
Wood, Silver, Bronze, Ivory, Gemstone
Condition Note:
Good, with some tarnish on the silver but overall no chips, scratches, or missing pieces.
Measurements:
16.75 x 14.35 x 0.8 inches
Title:
Ornate Photo Album Cover
Description:
A thick wooden cover inlaid with silver and semi precious stones, with ivory reliefs and bronze sculpture inlaid in the center. The ivory reliefs show depictions of a family coat of arms, with plates showing AO:DI: 1867 and 1873 respectively, and figures of Piety and Charity flanking these on either side. Above the centered coat of arms is the German royal coat of arms, with either foot holding a scepter and orb. Below the center in ivory is a bucking stallion. Forming a square around the family coat of arms are bronze figures depicting Fortitude, Temperance, Justice, and Wisdom. Surrounding the cover design is more ivory sculpture with various coats of arms going around the perimeter. This cover was most likely a collaboration between Theodor Maßler and Carl Wilhelm Otto Rusch, with Rusch being a court goldsmith and jeweler and Massler being a prominent sculptor. Rusch was a prominent jeweler, working under the royal Hannoverian jeweler Hermann Bückmann before becoming Royal Prussian Court Goldsmith in 1897, and Massler working as a sculptor out of Hannover beginning in 1865.
Creator
Repository Details
Part of the Wilkes University Archives Repository
Contact:
84 W South St.
Wilkes-Barre PA 18701 US
570-408-2000
570-408-7823 (Fax)
ask.archives@wilkes.edu
84 W South St.
Wilkes-Barre PA 18701 US
570-408-2000
570-408-7823 (Fax)
ask.archives@wilkes.edu