Beschreibung:

PHOTOGRAPHY, CORFU AND CRIMEAAlbum compiled by Lady Emily Ponsonby, née Bathurst (1798-1877), containing a collection of some 45 early photographs, the majority taken by her son Lt. Col. Arthur Edward Valette Ponsonby (1827-1868), salt and lightly albumenised prints, many captioned in ink, including a group taken in Corfu in 1858 of landscapes and personalities ("The Citadel with Bridge across the Ditch/ Corfu", "A View from the College of the Citadel", "A Montenegro. Photographed by Arthur at Corfu 1858", "Lord High Commissioner", "Group at Corfu", "HM Ship 'Terrible' Corfu" and "Sir George Buller K.C.B."), others taken at Hampton Court and elsewhere ("Fred by Barby. Ht Ct Palace. 1854", "The Gravel Walk to the House at Coolhurst July 1859", "The Gateway at Lord Bathurst's Cirencester", "Julia photographed by Arthur at Holland's Field October 1857 printed by Barbara January 1858 at Hampton Court", "Hath[e]rop Castle... 1859");
Other subjects include a wild boar and the fallen spire of Chichester Cathedral, February 1861, accompanied by Henry Ponsonby's pen and ink sketch of Mrs Verschoyle taking a photograph in Eaton Square, July 19 1855, and a printed flyer for 'Photographic Sketches of People & Places in Corfu by Arthur Ponsonby', printed by Silver, Hypo & Son., Printers, 1859; interspersed with watercolours and ephemera, some relating to the Crimea ("cover of a Russian document found at Hertch in the house occupied by Lieut. General Sir George Browne May 1855", a telegram from General Simpson to General Codrington warning "The Russians are attacking the Sardinians reinforce your attack with one Brigade. Keep your civilians in Camp" 16 August 1855, autograph note from Sir Spencer Ponsonby-fane ("Sebastopol is taken – no details"), watercolours of soldiers, Ponsonby's ink plan of the attack on the Redan ("for Gen. Codrington and used by him"), watercolour map of Europe titled "The Seat of War 1859", pencil sketch by Italian artist Gerolamo Induno amusing extracts from Arthur Ponsonby's letters from the Crimea, printed advertisement for Roger Fenton's Crimea photograph 'The Tombs of the Generals on Cathcart's Hill', playbills etc.;
With the official programme for the first distribution of the Victoria Cross, June 1847, letters and drawings from South Africa, 1853, and much royal memorabilia (menu for the Queen's birthday dinner, 24 May 1856, the wedding of the Princess Royal, 1858, souvenirs of an audience with Emperor Napoleon III in 1853, telegrams sent to Henry Ponsonby as Equerry to the Prince Consort on his visit to Prince & Princess Frederick of Prussia, June 1858, a trip to Balmoral in 1858, printed plan of 'Carriages on the Royal Train', etc.);
Illustrated with over 20 watercolours (including family portraits and "Boar Hunting His Majesty Present/1860") and pen and wash illustrations (pull-out ink drawing of "View of Quarantine Harbour of Malta taken from Mr Bourchiers house" by Miss Bourchier, "Waggons going down a hill... in Kaffirland"); with various playbills, menus, poetry, puzzles and much else; printed ownership label inside front cover ('Lady Emily Ponsonby/ Hampton Court Palace' with manuscript addition "4th scrap book"), above label with illuminated initials "E.P." in red, white and blue, 110 leaves, contemporary marbled boards, paper label on upper board with title 'Lady Emily Ponsonby/ Hampton Court Palace', amended in black ink to read "Scrap Book 1852", marked and worn, spine partly detached, remains of label on spine, folio (278 x 220mm.), [1840's/1850's]FootnotesTHE CRIMEA, ROYALTY & EARLY PHOTOGRAPHS OF CORFU: An attractive album of illustrations, photographs, letters and printed ephemera compiled by Lady Emily Ponsonby (1798-1877), documenting the family's position at the heart of Queen Victoria's court and reflecting the activities of her sons, Arthur Edward Valette Ponsonby (1827-1868) and Henry Ponsonby (1825-1895), long-serving private secretary to Queen Victoria, and whose wife Mary was a close correspondent of the Victoria Princess Royal, Empress of Prussia (see corresponding lot in this sale).
Arthur was commissioned into the Grenadier Guards, served in the Kaffir war and the Crimea, as shown here, and was quartered in Corfu in 1858-9, where he acted as aide-de-camp to General Sir George Buller, the Garrison Commander. He was a keen photographer, and the album contains unusual early photographic depictions of the island, of landscapes and architecture (such as "The Citadel with Bridge across the Ditch/ Corfu" and "A View from the College of the Citadel") and a number of portraits. Also included in the album are fine prints of English country house scenes and a photograph of his quarters at Aldershot.
An amusing pen and ink sketch by his brother Henry depicts the pioneering photographer Catherine Verschoyle (1803-1871), only the fourth woman to join the Photographic Society (later the Royal Photographic Society) in 1853, its inaugural year, and renowned for her botanical and tree studies. She is shown under the cloth of her camera, skirts billowing behind, taking his portrait outside her house in Eaton Square in July 1855. She later used her considerable photographic skills to raise money for widows and orphans of the Crimean War. There is evidence in the album of female members of the family assisting him in his work – one caption for example notes that a portrait of Julia (possibly Julia Ponsonby) was taken by Arthur but printed by Barbara (possibly his sister Selina Barbara Ponsonby). Also of note in the album is the programme for the first distribution of the Victoria Cross in 1857 and much royal memorabilia.