All art lovers can find a wide selection of photographs at at Bonhams Book, Maps, Manuscripts and Historical Photographs sale in London on 12 June. The highlight of the sale will definitely be a copy of one of the largest and most sought after books of photographs ever published, which is estimated at £50,000-£70,000 ($78,000-$109,000).
This book, that may soon become world’s most expensive, is unique and interesting collection of 20 historical photographs taken by Francis Frith, a travel photographer from United Kingdom who made it on his journey through the Middle East. Egipat, Sinai and Jerusalem, seen through the eyes of a foreign traveller has been perpetuated on photographs, each sized an enormous 30 inches x 21 (77cms x 55).
Francis Frith has embarked on journey through the Middle East in 1856 and published his book of views of Egypt in 1858 with text by his friends, Mr and Mrs Reginald Stuart Poole. During the course of the journey he was not alone. A mountain of equipment accompanied him, the most important huge camera and a mobile darkroom. He opted wet collodion process for his method of photography which required the plates to be coated with light sensitive emulsions immediately before exposure took place which meant he also had to carry dangerous chemicals with him.
On his return from the Middle East, Frith turned his attention to home and set about photographing every town and village in the United Kingdom. His extensive archive is still publically available through the Francis Frith Collection and his work was featured in a recent BBC series, ‘Britain’s First Photo Album’. [Bonhams]
