Creator unknown: Photograph album leaves of views of Rarotonga, and other Pacific Islands

Photographs of scenes from Rarotonga and people from other Pacific Islands, taken by George Crummer and unknown photographers, in the 1890s.

Prints include a signed portrait of Charles Wells Banks; several prints of the opening of the Mission School, including one of New Zealand Resident Frederick Moss addressing the crowd; preparations for a feast (one of which was taken by George Crummer); a photograph of a building inscribed "Vaikapuangi Rarotonga March '93"; Avatiu harbour; a group photograph of "Governor and wife - Morea" [possibly Moorea] "with French officers from Man of War"; and several portraits of Pacific Islanders, including a portrait of Rarotongan Queen Makea Takau, a tattooed man from the Marquesas, and a man with elephantiasis captioned "Fay Fay common in Tahiti and adjacent islands". Includes one print of semi-nude young Rarotongan women.

Separate captions on small pieces of paper accompany some leaves.

Several leaves are stamped "Jan 16 1896". Also includes the top of a ledger leaf from which the rest of the leaf appears to have been cut, and which has the number "9" written on the top right-hand corner.

Title supplied by Library.

Most leaves are numbered at the top right hand corner, and there are two leaves numbered "3". Numbers run from 3 to 20, with numbers 13 and 16 missing from the sequence, and two un-numbered leaves.

Te Papa Tongarewa Museum of New Zealand holds a print of the George Crummer photograph "Cook Islanders with piles of bananas and dead pigs among palm trees", reference 0.025539.

Arrangement: Leaves were loose, and slips of paper with captions were inserted between some leaves.

Quantity: 19 b&w original photographic print(s).

Physical Description: Black and white prints, 14.5 x 10 cm, pasted onto card sheets, 27.5 x 23 cm, with reinforcement at the top, which appear to have come from a loose-leaf ledger.

Provenance: Acquired by the vendor through eBay in December 2011 from Treehorn Books, 625 4th St, Santa Rosa, California.

Processing information: Leaves of album were received by the Library loose and original clasp binder had disintegrated; therefore each page of the album has been housed in an archival sleeve.

Leaves have some cockling.