Jerusalem and local village life as portrayed by the American Colony photographers, ca. 1900 by Spafford, Horatio & Anna; Lewis Larsson; Elijah Meyers photographers - 1914

1914. Very good condition. A collection of 50 albumen photographs taken by photographers of the American Colony. The American Colony was founded by the Spafford family in Jerusalem in 1881, with a second wave arriving in 1896, which believed that its work would expedite the Second Coming of Christ. The utopian Christian sect devoted themselves to the people of Jerusalem, caring for the sick, and setting up soup kitchens and schools with the aim of ensuring their salvation through charitable work.

Anna & Horatio Spafford had suffered business losses in the Great Chicago Fire of 1871. By 1873, the family had recovered and were to celebrate Christmas in Paris. Horatio was detained and Anna sailed with their four daughters from New York. Their ship sank in a collision with another mid-Atlantic, with the loss of all four girls, only Anna surviving. Horatio rushed to meet his wife in Wales. On his transatlantic crossing, he wrote the verses that were to become the hymn "It is Well With My Soul". By 1881, their faith led the Spaffords to establish the American Colony in Jerusalem.

Elijah Meyers, a member of the colony, began taking photographs in Jerusalem of places and important events, including the visit of Wilhelm II. This endeavor turned out to be quite profitable, and photography was incorporated into the society's fundraising efforts. Meyer first headed the photographic division: he was followed by Lewis Larsson, who traveled extensively in the Middle East from 1903 - 1910.

These images are mostly the result of Larsson's travels. 50 albumen photographs of people and places around Israel at the beginning of the 20th century. Most have a number and a title in English, German and French.

Some of the image titles include: Guards of the Russian Consulate; The River Jordan; Gate of Christ's Triumphal Entry; Jews' Wailing Place; Bedouin Costume; Circassians with their Ox-Carts; Jerusalem from Mt. of Olives; Station VIII (which is an image of the facade of the Johanniter Ordens Hospiz, which was the German Hospice of St. John); Ramleh (Ancient Arimathea); Jewish Women of Jerusalem (a large group shot of approximately 50); Russian Pilgrims at the Jordan; Native Wedding; Sheik Racheed Jordan Escort; Mosque of Omar; Garden of Gethsemane; The Ceremony of Epiphany; German Colony at Haifa; the Damascus Gate; Coptic Monks; Citadel of Zion; the Dead Sea; Tomb of David; Site of the Synagogue Nazareth; and Tower of David and Hippicus.

All images in very good condition, bright and clean images, some with a slightly darker exposure than others. Very good condition overall, with only some ruffling at edges, a couple with small corners missing. 8 1/2 x 11"