Photo Album Of Constantinople And Athens By Sebah & Joaillier And Rhomaïdès, Early 20th Century

Rare brown morocco-bound album bearing the inscription in gold letters "Constantinople / Athens / 1910" on the front cover. It has 41 prints in black and white and 9 empty plates. The 27 shots of Constantinople each represent a panorama of the city, a famous monument or a scene from everyday life while the 14 views of Athens include temples and ancient ruins.

The photographs of Constantinople bear the signature "Sebah & Joaillier".
One of the photographs of Athens bears the signature "A. Rhomaïdès".


In 1857, the photographer of Syrian origin Pascal Sebah (1823-1886) founded with his brother Cosmi a studio in Constantinople, in the district of Pera, then very frequented by Western society. They quickly opened several branches, including "El Chark – Photographic Society" in 1868. Renowned for their portraits, landscapes and scenes of daily life, they participated in the Vienna World’s Fair in 1873. After Cosmi’s departure, Pascal manages the studio alone until a brain attack forces him to cease his activity. In 1885, Polycarpe Joaillier (1848-1904), close to the family and trained at the studio, joined him, then continued the business with Pascal’s son under the name of Sebah & Joaillier. The successes followed one another: the studio received a medal of the Order of Medjidié for an album dedicated to Bursa, became a photographer of the Prussian Court after an official trip by William II, then a photographer of the Ottoman Palace under Sultan Abdul Hamid II, who distributed his albums to the States-United, in England and in France. In 1909, the studio changed hands and continued its activity until 1974 under the name "Foto Sabah".


The Rhomaïdès studio was founded in 1873 in Patras (Greece) by three brothers, Constantine, Aristotle and Dimitri. Three years later, they settled in Athens and quickly gained notoriety, sharing their activity between portraits and shots of ancient monuments. They collaborate in particular with the Greek Archaeological Society, of which they become the official photographers, as well as with the German Archaeological Institute during the excavations carried out by the latter on the site of Olympia. They also exhibited their work at the Universal Exhibitions in Paris in 1878 and 1889.


Wear at the binding.
Slight moisture stains on some pages.
Good general condition.
From the early 20th century.

Dimensions:
L: 43.5 cm
W: 33 cm
H: 10 cm