Photo 1081/1

Green half-leather bound album measuring 350 x 455 mm, containing 60 albumen prints mounted one to a page, the majority with captions pencilled beneath. The front fixed endpaper has the following pencilled note: 'Given me with 5 other albums (3 containing views of India) by Mr Otto 26/12/47. Rebacked 17/4/48. 60 photographs of about 1876, including 1 duplicate and 1 plan.' The binding of the album was in fragile condition when purchased and has been rebound in similar style to the original. The 23 loose album pages of photographs (Photo 1081/2) were acquired as part of the same lot.

The album, together with the loose prints at Photo 1081/2, forms an important collection of architectural views of Calcutta in the mid-1870s, and the selection of subject matter seems to indicate that it was commissioned or compiled by someone with professional architectural interests, rather than as a visitor's souvenir of the city. The inclusion of a plan of the Mayo Hospital, built by Mackintosh, Burn and Co in this album and the two views of the same architects' office in Photo 1081/2, may indicate a connection with that firm. Photo 1081/2 also contains two views of the Maghen David Synagogue, another building constructed by the firm and two views of the Bank of Bengal, extensions to which were made by the firm in 1879.