Photo album - Leather-Bound Photo Album with Metal Clasp - 1900

Leather-Bound Photo Album with Metal Clasp, France, circa 1900–1920

This photo album is bound in dark brown leather with embossed vegetal decoration on the front and back covers. The album retains its original metal clasp, which remains present and functional. The construction corresponds to a French private photo album intended for long-term personal use.

Manufacturer and origin
France

Year of production
circa 1900–1920

Style or use
Personal photograph album
Domestic documentary object

Current condition
The leather cover shows surface wear, abrasions, and damage to the spine, including splitting and material loss consistent with age and use. The metal clasp shows oxidation and surface wear but remains structurally intact and functional.
The interior consists of thick card pages with integrated photo slots. Pages show discoloration, foxing, edge wear, small tears, and period repairs. Multiple original black-and-white photographs remain in place. The binding structure shows wear but remains stable, with no loose pages.

Value justification
The value is supported by the album’s early 20th-century French production, intact clasp mechanism, and the presence of original period photographs. Personal photo albums of this type were functional household objects and were often discarded after extended use, making surviving examples with photographic content less common.

Production context
Leather-bound photo albums of this type were commonly used in France around the turn of the 20th century as private archival objects for documenting family life, social relations, and personal events.



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