Camera Studies in Iraq.

Baghdad: A. Kerim & Hasso Bros,, [1925] . First edition. The photography is the work of Abdul Kerim, and the superb photogravures were in fact printed by Rotophot AG of Berlin for publication in Iraq. The commercial trade in mass-produced "real photographs" in the first decades of the 20th century was dominated by Germany, and the Rotophot Gesellschaft für photographischen Rotationsdruck m.b.H. (established in either 1899 or 1900) was one of the largest German companies. This album contains 73 photographs of scenes in Iraq in the early 1920s. Views include: Ashar Creek, Whiteley Bridge Ashar Basrah, Bazar Square in Basrah City, Serai Creek in Basrah City, Sheikh Gazal Market Ashar Basrah, Sug El Dijaj Basrah City, Modern Baghdad the city of Caliphs, The Shrine of Sheikh Omar, the Tomb of Sit Hobaida Kadimain the Holy City, The Golden Domes and Minarets of the Kadimain Mosque, The Maude Bridge, Baghdad from an aeroplane, Fruit Market in Baghdad, Baghdad & The Tigris, the Ruins of Babylon- Temple of Marduk, A Sheikh enjoying the famous Arab coffee, Street View of Baghdad from the North Gate, several street scenes in Baghdad, as well as many portraits and ethnic studies. A number of images show the local inhabitants from date-sellers on the streets of Baghdad to Kurdish nobles, to Arabian Sheikhs, to an intriguing photo of Assyrian Mountaineers. The photography is the work of Abdul Kerim, and the superb photogravures were in fact printed by Rotophot AG of Berlin for publication in Iraq. The commercial trade in mass-produced "real photographs" in the first decades of the 20th century was dominated by Germany and the Rotophot Gesellschaft für photographischen Rotationsdruck m.b.H. (established in either 1899 or 1900) was one of the largest German companies. Landscape quarto, original cord-backed album of textured black paper boards, lettering to front cover gilt. With 73 sepia-tinted photogravure illustrations on 50 light card leaves. Light wear to covers, mainly to the edges, otherwise internally bright and clean, a very good copy.