Naya, Carlo (1816-1882), Van Lint, Enrico (fl. 1850-70s), Fotografia Pompejana, Sommer e Behles, and Others. Large Attractive Collection of 78 Early Albumen Studio Photographs of Italian Cities, Showing the Main Sites, Streets and Architectural Details of Venice, Rome, Pompeii, Palermo, Genoa, Pisa, Turin, etc. Ca. 1860s.

Loose original albumen photographs of various sizes, all mounted on period card. The majority of photos are with period pencil captions in German or Italian on the mounts; some are captioned or numbered in negative, over twenty with blind-stamped studio names on the mounts. Photos are housed in a period dark brown folder with sheep boards, and cloth-covered flaps; gilt lettered title "Italien 1867/68 " on the front board; both boards are with protective brass fittings. Folder rubbed and worn on extremities, one photo with a left corner missing, several images slightly faded, but overall a very good collection.

Impressive collection of 78 early albumen studio photographs of Italian cities collected and thoroughly annotated by a German tourist in 1867-68. The views, more than half of which are large-format (over 19x25 cm), show panoramas, streets and famous sites of Venice, Rome, Pompeii, Palermo, Genoa, Pisa, Turin, etc. The classic images of Roman antiquities or Renaissance architectural ensembles sometimes feature the signs of the Italian life in the mid-1860s, e.g. an advertising poster of an insurance company attached to a wall of a medieval building in Genoa, the storefront of the "Farmacia Bertolini " next to a Grand Canal palazzo in Venice, the façade of Café dell' Ussero in Pisa, and others. Overall a beautiful collection of early well-preserved original studio photographs of Italian cities.

The photos include:

Seventeen large albumen prints with the views of Venice by Carlo Naya, image size ca. 31,5x26 cm (12 ½ x 10 ¼ in). All photos are with period pencil captions in German on the mounts; all but one numbered in negative. The images show several palaces on the Grand Canal, including Palazzo Carrer Spinelli, Palazzo Grassi ( "Baron von Sina "), Monte de Pieta (the grand Venice pawnshop, previously Palazzo Corner Della Regina), interior and exterior of the Scuola Grande di San Rocco, architectural details of St. Mark's Basilica, the Giants' Staircase and the library hall of the Dodges Palace, etc.

Twelve smaller unsigned views of Venice attributed to Carlo Naya. The photos are ca. 13,5x18 cm (5 ¼ x 7 in), all but one with blind-stamped monograms in the left lower corners (undeciphered), one photo with a blind-stamped monogram "M.S.B. " ibidem. All photos are with period pencil captions in German on the mounts. The photos were attributed to Carlo Naya based on the collection from the Duke University Libraries, which houses a similar photo with the monogram "M.S.B. " (see more).The photos show: Santa Maria Della Salute church, Palazzo Vendramin Calergi, Palazzo Pesaro, a palazzo on the Grand Canal with the storefront of the "Farmacia Bertolini " on the left, the House of Desdemona (Palazzo Contarini), Biblioteca Marciana, the Patriarchal Palace, the Grand Canal, Church of the Scalzi, the Ca' d'Oro palace, etc.

Nine large unsigned views of Rome, ca. 19x25,5 cm (7 ½ x 9 ½ in). All photos with period captions in German on the mounts, one photo numbered in negative, one with a printed number "364 " on the mount. The images show the Colosseum, the Forum, St. Peter's Basilica, Palazzo Senatorio on the Capitoline Hill, the cloister of the San Paolo monastery, Archbasilica of Saint John Lateran, Castel Sant'Angelo, the Arch of Titus, etc.

Seventeen views of Pompeii, from ca. 10x15,5 cm (6x4 in) to ca. 9x10 cm (3 ½ x 4 in). All photos with period ink or pencil captions in Italian or German on the mounts, three photos with blind stamps of the studio "Fotografia Pompejana, Napoli " on the lower margins. The images show the Pompeii Forum, an atrium, a pavement ornament, and otherwise, depict the famous frescoes.

Six views of Palermo by the "Sommer e Behles " studio, image size ca. 18x24,5 cm (7 x 9 ½ in). All photos are captioned and numbered in negative, and with blind stamps on the studio in the right lower corners. The images show the Palermo Cathedral, Porta Nuova city gate, the gallery and an elaborately carved door in the Monreale Benedictine cloister, the city view taken from Villa Belmonte, and the Church of Santa Maria Della Catena.

Eight views of Genoa, image size from ca. 21,5x27,5 cm (8 ½ x 11 ¾ in) to ca. 17,5x22 cm (7 x 8 ¾ in). One photo with a blind-stamped name of the studio "C. Hodcend Phot. " on the mount, all photos are with period pencil captions in German on the mounts or versos. The images show the vestibule of the Royal Palace, the main entrance to the Genoa Cathedral, St. Maria di Carignano church, a Medieval stone-carved doorway with a poster of the "Il Mondo " insurance company, the vestibule of the Genoa University, Villa Pallavicini, etc.
Five views of Piza by E. van Lint, from ca. 20x26 cm (7 ¾ x 10 ¼ in) to ca. 9,5x14,5 cm (3 ¼ x 5 ¼ in). All images with blind-stamped studio names and period pencil captions in German on the mounts. The images show the main entrance to and the interior of the Cathedral, Café dell' Ussero, Santa Maria Della Spina church, etc.

The other photos show the grotto in the Royal gardens of Turin, two views of the San Michele in Foro basilica in Lucca, Tuscany, etc.