You have to imagine the Grand Tour traveler, experiencing Florence, Italy for the first time, and the invention of the first paper photographs, c.1850s, along with the appeal of the marble mosaics "pietra dura", to have a sense of what kind of a treasure this souvenir they brought home must have truly been. The nearly pristine condition of it says it was a treasure. While I see no real evidence it was filled with photos (no torn paper sleeves) one is left to imagine it on display in a fine English Manor's library or den, and the stories told of the trip when that first owner bought it from Emilio Bagnani, whose paper 'etiquette' or market stamp remains inside the front page (see our photos). I'm always drawn to these albums and the early photography for which they were created. This one is a truly museum worthy one, indeed. Huge, it has 25 thick pages, each can hold 8 photos front and back. Care de Visite photos were popular between 1850s and 1870 when larger photos took their place, 'cabinet cards' so this album is easy to date. Look it over, it's a masterpiece! Full measurements noted on photos.
The album is large and heavy, outer cover is thick and is mounted with 5 ovals of marble mosaic flowers (pietra dura), which plaques are typically deeper than 1/4". The leather album has really nothing to diminish enjoyment or value, and is stunning! No loose pages, no splits or leather damage, no damage to the spine, and no real evidence of photos having been inside and removed (often tears the paper sleeves' borders). The gold edged pages are brilliant and even. None of the 5 marble mosaics (pietra dura - micro mosaic) have any flaws at all. The mystery is why were no photos ever inserted?
