Heading: (Panama)
Author:
Title: Album with 33 original photographs of construction and excavation in Panama, apparently the French attempts at a trans-isthmus canal in the 1880s
Place Published: Panama, etc.
Publisher:
Date Published: c.1885
Description:

33 albumen photographs mounted on album leaves. images measure approx. 20x25 cm (8x10"). Album is 40.2x31.2 cm (15¾x12¼"), black pebbled cloth lettered in gilt "Album."

Fascinating series of photograph, which capture what can only be the early attempt by the French to construct a canal across the Isthmus of Panama, under the overall direction, but not immediate supervision, of Ferdinand de Lesseps. There are views of digging the canal, ancillary railroads, the port of Colon (at the mouth of the Panama Canal of today), portions of the canal filled with water, dredging equipment, housing for workers (apparently), and more. The album leaves are of two different thicknesses, curiously, and a few of the thicker leaves have light pencil captions, only partially legible. At the end are 16 additional photographs, gelatin silver prints, of an observatory, examples of telescopes, and gentlemen of possibly eastern European origin, likely operators of the observatory.

Panama photographs with some fading, a few with edge wear; album leaves a bit darkened; very good.