Bidspirit auction | Victorian Celluloid and Plush Photograph

Victorian Celluloid and Plush Photograph Album with Original Studio Portraits - A Victorian era photograph album featuring a decorative celluloid front panel and purple floral-patterned plush velvet binding. The front celluloid cover depicts a central lithographic portrait of a woman wearing a ruffled hat, surrounded by purple pansy blossoms. The spine and rear cover are finished in a deep purple plush fabric. The album is secured with an ornate, functional brass mechanical clasp. Internally, the volume contains approximately 11 thick cardstock pages, each featuring two window cutouts framed by gilded decorative borders. The album includes an assortment of original late 19th and early 20th-century photographs, primarily cabinet cards and studio portraits. Notable identified subjects include William Craine and Ralph Burrell. Visible studio marks from various American photographers include Houghton of Norwich, New York, Chesebro of Toledo, Ohio, and Einsberger of Auburn, New York. Portrait subjects encompass elderly gentlemen with long beards, women in period high-collar attire, children, and a specialized outdoor portrait of a young woman on a swing accompanied by two dogs. The front celluloid panel remains largely intact with minor surface scuffing and rubbing along the edges. The plush velvet on the spine and rear cover exhibits significant wear, with noticeable fading and loss of pile, particularly along the hinge areas. The internal cardstock pages show age-appropriate toning and light foxing. Typical small tears and creasing are present around the photo insertion slots. The included photographs demonstrate varying levels of fading, silvering, and foxing consistent with their age. The brass hardware is in good functional condition and retains a natural aged patina.