8 Albumen Photographs by the Zangaki brothers. Egypt, Circa 1880

This singular set of albumen photographic prints in their original album dates from the late 19th century (circa 1890) and is in quite good condition. It is a group of eight prints on albumen paper, a technique that was very popular among the photographers of the second half of the 19th century. The images depict landscapes, scenes and characters from the Suez Canal (Egypt) as it was more than one century ago. The photos boast a great sepia tone that turns them into charming images. All the pictures are signed in the negative by the Zangaki brothers The albumen print or albumen silver print is a technique used to print photographic negatives on paper by direct contact. It was invented in 1850 by Blanquart Evrard and was the dominant form of photographic positives from 1860 to 1890.The paper was soaked with egg white (a substance that contains albumen) and potassium bromide. Once dry, the paper would be soaked in silver nitrate dispersion and let dry again. Afterwards it had to be put in contact with the glass negative into a contact press, and exposed to sunlight for some minutes until the image reached the desired intensity. The eight photographs that make up this nostalgic set are in very good condition. They are stored into an antique album with the inside covers lined with fine marbled paper. They are labeled with the names of the places and also signed in the negative with the word Zangaki. This surname corresponds to the Zangaki brothers, two Greek photographers who specialized in historic and Egyptian scenes and produced prints for the tourist trade from 1870 to 1890. In the album there is also a photomontage with a map of the Canal, some portraits and other landscapes. Undeniable charming and very antique, this lovely album is bound to belong to a person with a passion for travel and history. Measurements (Album): Width: 16.14 in/41 cm. Height: 14.1 in/36 cm.