Rare Set Of 9 Photos: British India, Ca. 1885—elephants, Artillery, Military Camp /...

An exceptional set of 9 original 19th-century photographic prints (circa 1885) on albumen paper, from the colonial era (British Raj / British India).

All the photographs are of superb uniform quality (print size: 20.5 cm x 15 cm) and are fully mounted on their original stiff cardboard backing, ensuring their perfect flatness and period authenticity.

This collection constitutes a comprehensive and coherent on-site photo essay, documenting a military and logistical expedition by the Imperial Indian Army (presumably involving the Mountain Artillery during a campaign in the Northeast—Assam or Burma).

Details of the 9 photographs in the lot:

• The centerpiece: A spectacular, wide-angle panoramic view showing a massive military column of dozens of elephants crossing a river as far as the eye can see.

• The historical close-up: A close-up of pack elephants carrying carved wooden ammunition boxes, with British officers in uniform and colonial helmets (pith helmets) seated inside the structures.

• Logistics: A scene on the trail showing a transport cart pulled by traditional zebu cattle next to a heavy military engineering or surveying tripod.

• Camp Life (Heavy Bivouac): A stunning, picturesque view of a camp of regulation tents set up in the shade of a giant banyan tree, with the elephants resting.

• Headquarters: A scene in front of the large double tents of British officers wearing white helmets.

• The staging post: A view of a Dâk Bungalow (a raised colonial garrison house) with Indian servants in turbans (wallahs) and a local guard.

• The Trackers: Two vertical portraits of indigenous trackers (shikaris) clearing the way through giant elephant grass.

• Wildlife: An impressive carcass feast involving dozens of vultures on the plain, evidence of the remains of a hunt or subsistence slaughter for the expedition.

Object characteristics:

• Date: Circa 1880–1890.

• Technique: Period albumen silver salt prints, superb chocolate tones.

• Mount: Mounted on original stiff cardboard.

• Condition: Very good overall condition for 19th-century field photographs; magnificent contrast and sharp detail when zoomed in.