Early Photography of China Collection: A highly important collection in development.. Various places, 1850s-1930s

The most valuable collection of early China photography in private hands, the Early Photography of China Collection includes the greatest masterworks of China photography by the foremost photographers working in China in the nineteenth century and the first quarter of the 20th century. The collection has been assembled over the course of many years, and we continue to expand and refine it as worthy photographs and archives become available. This collection, unrivaled in quality and extent in private hands, provides a unique opportunity to own one of the greatest collections of Chinese photography extant. We are eager to acquire important China photographs, from individual objects to albums and collections. We invite you to contact us.

Collection in development

Civil War photographic album of Louis–Philippe d’Orleans, Comte de Paris. Various photographers including Brady, c. 1862

This important Civil War photograph album has been donated to Cornell University by the Beth and Stephan Loewentheil Family Photography Collection. This album of the Comte de Paris was perhaps the finest Civil War photographic album in private hands. There are 265 photographs: over 60 very rare war camp scenes in small format, mainly by Brady and his assistants, including unusual images of military field operations, headquarters and candid officer photos, gun emplacements, ordnance, soldiers at work and rest,  and artillery and cavalry regiments preparing for battle.

Donated to Cornell University as its 8 millionth book

San Francisco Panoramic View. W. H. Jackson, c. 1888

This is a magnificent, unique view of a vanished San Francisco by William Henry Jackson, a giant of American West photography. This enormous view, extending to six and one-half feet in length, appears to be Jackson’s largest known panoramic albumen photograph. This is the only known example of this important albumen panorama.

$850,000

Magnificent Album of Mammoth Photographs of the American West, with other subjects. various, ca. 1865-1880s

This magnificent American West photograph album contains an astounding 21 mammoth photographs by leading photographers including Carleton Watkins, Charles R. Savage, and Isaiah West Taber, as well as other important photographs.

$350,000

Ambrotype Portrait of John D. Rockefeller. Cleveland, Ohio: Wiliam C. North, c. 1857-1858

This famous portrait of John D. Rockefeller at age 18 is the earliest known photograph of the greatest titan of American business and industry.

$150,000

An extraordinary collection of photographs of Central Park by its first official photographer. New York, 1862

Pioneering photographs of Central Park. One of the earliest photographers to work in New York

$135,000

Mammoth Plate Portrait of Abraham Lincoln. Washington, November 8, 1863

A classic mammoth portrait of Abraham Lincoln, showing the President just days before he delivered the Gettysburg Address.

$95,000

An extraordinary collection of 26 photographic portraits of leading photographers. Various processes, 1850s-1890s

This superb collection of photographs of photographers documents the spread of photography from its inventor Daguerre through the art’s earliest practitioners in the United States and ultimately to the great photographers of the Civil War and the American West.

$75,000

Ink and wash drawings of Jewish subjects and of musical instruments, Signed by Daguerre. “Dessiné le 12 Novembre 1822 LJM Daguerre.”, 1822

$60,000

Photographs of the Holy Land comprising the following volumes: [I:] Sinai and Palestine; [II:] Lower Egypt, Thebes, and the Pyramids; [III:] Upper Egypt and Ethiopia.. London, Glasgow, and Edinburgh: William MacKenzie, [1862]

A handsome set of Frith’s photographs. This edition’s gold-toned photographs are preferred over the earlier editions for their “stronger quality” (Gernsheim).

$55,000