Tyre in the 1880s. Badr Al-Hajj is probably the foremost expert (and publisher) of old photographs of the Middle East. He sent me this picture: "a view taken in 1880's by a French photographer residing in Beirut. His name is Jean-Baptiste Charlier (1822-1907). He owned a book shop at Suq al-Tawila and a silk factory at Ain Hamada in Matn region."
Thursday, March 27, 2008
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Did he publish a book? Are some of those old photographs for sale? any idea how to get in touch with him. Thx.
That looks similar to Tyre today after Hezbollah took refuge there after provoking the Heroes of the Israeli Defense Forces.
Fly High,
The Grizz
Anonymous above: I asked Badr and he sent me this:
"1- Saudi Arabia Caught In Time 1861-1939.4 to 144 pp, half-title, title, numerous b/w plates, cloth in d/w, Garnet Publishing, Reading, 1997.
2- Des Photographes A Damas 1840 - 1918.
4to 55 pp; 126 sepia colour photographs hors text, numerous b/w illustrations in text, 1 map, half-title, title, cloth in d/w, Mravall, Paris, 2000.
This work was published in Arabic also under the title: Damascus Souwar Min Al Madi 1840-1918. 4to 187 pp. profusely illustrated in sepia colour and b/w photos in & hors text including two folding panoramas, cloth in d/w, biblio, Arabic text, Folios Limited, London, 2001.
3- L'orient des Photographes Armeniennes.
8 vo. 95 pp. French text, profusely illustrated in b/w & colour photographs, publishers' original wrappers, Editions Cercle D'Art, Paris, 2007.
Only duplications are for sale in my collection. I do not trade in old photographs.
any body can contact me on : Folios@folios.demon.co.uk"
That is a fabulous photograph - especially when enlarged.
It all looks so, so peaceful. And innocent too.
Can't see the predatory French or British in there nosing about.
How idyllic.
Oh dear, silly mistake!
There certainly was a Frenchman NOSING about: Mr Charlier himself.
Obviously then this is certainly NOT an innocent photograph. It is informing the world that there is a very nice piece of real estate up for grabs!
No doubt the greedy politicians and the generals were soon salivating over this particular chunk of celluloid...
Oh, photographs, you are not at all innocent creatures.
This scene has been captured from a very high viewpoint. Is it from a fort - or even a balloon?
Nadar, the greatest French photographer of this period was famous for ascending in a balloon.
Silly me, definitely not a balloon. Just another building, really...
"Saudi Arabia Caught In Time 1861-1939"
Wow. I'd love to see that.
I've collected quite a few copies of old photos of the region which are amazing - especially the various images of Abdul Aziz taken around 1910 - he looks so tall and...moody. He obviously hated having his picture taken! (Which makes me approve of him.)
There is a good picture of Abdul Aziz with his brothers in 1911 - and they look fab. Really noble and fierce - in their desert robes and plaits!
My God, what would they have thought of the self-indulgence of today's Al Sauds?
tHAT PLACE iT'S ALLRIGHT jANE NOTHING SPECTACULAR. tO BE HONEST WITH YOU IT COULD USE A DESCENT SET OF BATTING CAGES.
dc to the sp
Ooh, yes!
And if you look to the left middle-distance there is a sort of, well, bomb crater - maybe that was ancient-superbowl?
iTS' POSSIBLY jANE BUT MY ESTIMATE IS MAYBE NOT.
Oh I see.
Jane said...
That is a fabulous photograph - especially when enlarged.
It all looks so, so peaceful. And innocent too.
Can't see the predatory French or British in there nosing about.
How idyllic.
-----------------------
Yeah. It looks like a typical arab dump. Lots of rats and fleas running around, nasty mosquito infested water, no infrastructure, outside toilets, stifling heat, abysmal poverty, nothing but standing water, dirt mud and sand as far as the eye can see.
Go on, Anonymous, impose your ignorant, bigoted fantasies on the scene. I don't see anything that you describe in this image.
And who in the 1880s had indoor toilets - anywhere?
LOL!
"Standing water"
What ignorance! Have you never heard of wells?? You know, those essential commodities of Arab civilisation which Israel LOVES to destroy.
You stupid, brainless fool, so what were the US and Britain and France like in the 1880s? There was filth and squalor everywhere, with cities thick with smoke and dirt. And there was massive poverty, sickness and exploitation.
I don't see ANY of that in this image!!
Do you? (Take your blinkers off first, you buffoon.)
This scene is a HEAVEN compared to Europe at the same time stuck deep in a sordid quagmire of industrialisation and war.
And you know what is best of all?
NO ISRAEL.
Aaaaah, pure heaven.
PARADISE!
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