chapalas

Margolis & Moss / P.O. Box 2042 / Santa Fe, NM 87504. (505) 982-1028. [email protected]
MEXICAN PHOTOGRAPHS.
LIST #2.
~ All items are offered subject to prior sale. Photographs are in fine condition unless otherwise noted
and may be promptly returned for any reason. David Margolis & Jean Moss.
1. ANONYMOUS. THE PHOTOGRAPHY CLASS. Circa 1910. A fascinating image of a class of young
Mexican boys learning the various aspects of photography. 5 x 7 inches on a printed mount 7 ¼ x 9 ¼
inches. The location and photographer are unidentified. The mount is lightly soiled and there are a
number of cracks in the photograph from poor mounting.
Shown are boys mixing chemicals, spotting glass negatives, touching up enlargements, and
taking a photograph of a posed student in front of a backdrop. There is a massive camera in the
background. $275.
2. ANONYMOUS. GOVERNOR’S PALACE, UXMAL. Circa 1900. A group of four unmounted, sepia toned
silver gelatin prints showing a group of travellers at the ancient pre-columbian city of Uxmal in the state
of Yucatan. The photographs measure 8 ½ x 6 ½ inches or the reverse. Light oxidation to two of the
images.
The long, horizontal Governor’s Palace has been called “possibly the most perfect building in
prehispanic America.” The Mayans never invented the curved arch and the triangular arches at Uxmal
are some of the most dramatic in Mexco. Of interest in these pre-restoration images is the liberal use of
grafitti. $450.
3. AZPEITIA. (Children in Costume). Circa 1950. Two colored silver gelatin prints, mounted to boards.
The images measure 9 ½ x 7 ½ inches on 14 x 11 inch mounts. Photographer’s hand stamp on mount
“Azpeitia, Mex.” Mounts soiled, but the photographs are bright and clean.
A charming pair, showing children dressed in indiginous clothing. $160.
4. BREHME, HUGO. GUADALUPE. Circa 1925. Sepia toned silver gelatin print, with Brehme’s handstamp
and the title in pencil on verso. 7 x 5 inches, in excellent condition.
Born in Eisenach, Germany in 1882, Brehme opened his first studio in Mexico City in 1910. He
joined the Agencia Fotografica Mexicana, founded by Agustin Casasola and participated in the
photographic record of the revolution. After extensive travel in Mexico, he assembled 197 of his best
photographs and published PICTURESQUE MEXICO in 1923. “Brehme introduced the modern
‘pictorialist’ photographic style to Mexico, as well as the use of toners, gum bichromate, filters, and in
particular the process for making exqisite platinum prints.” - Debroise. MEXICAN SUITE.
This lightly toned photograph depicts pilgrims on the way to the Bascilica de Guadalupe. $285.
5. BRIQUET, ABEL. PUEBLO DE AMECA-MECA. Circa 1885. Mounted albumen photograph from his early
series “Vistas, Mexicanas.” The image measures 6 x 7 inches on a stiff mount, 9 x 11 inches. Printed
caption glued to mount. Rich, deep tones.
Abel Briquet came from France to Mexico in 1883 (or 1870 as a recent history of Mexican
photography believes) and became one of Mexico’s first commercial photographers. Working until 1910,
he made hundreds of photographs of factories, hotels, railroads, churches, and other points of interest,
issued individually, in series, or in photogrpahic albums.
Amecameca is the Mexican village at the foot of the volcano Popocatapetl, used by tourists as a
jumping off place for a climb up the volcano. $375.
6. Cervantes, Enrique A. Circa 1930. Group of 25 silver gelatin prints, each in an embossed brown mat,
signed and captioned in ink on the mat. The images measures 6 ½ x 4 ½ inches in an 8 x 10 inch mat;
light wrinkling to some mats.
The 24 photographs show interior and exterior details of architectural structures in Puebla,
Mexico. Included are: a birds-eye-view of Puebla; the Cathedral; the famed Santa Rosa kitchen; various
majolica tiled buildings; the Capilla Real, built in 1549 and modeled on the great Mosque in Cordova,
Spain; the large ex-convento San Francisco, the Federal Palace, and others.
Enrique A. Cervantes (1898 – 1953) was an engineer, photographer, and historic preservationist.
He spent his life on researching, mesuring, drawing, and photographing the architectural and decorative
arts of colonial Mexico. From 1928 to 1942 he produced ten limited edition portfolios of original
photographs depicting the colonial heritage of various Mexican cities.
Individually issued photographs by Cervantes are more uncommon than his published portfolios.
A few of the above images are reproduced in his portfolio “Puebla de los Angeles en el Ano de Mil
Novecientos Trienta y Tres” though most are other buildings or varients of the published images.
$2,800.
7. COMPANIA INDUSTRIAL FOTOGRAFICA. Circa 1920. A group of 9 sepia toned gelatin prints,
measuring 6 ½ x 10 ½ inches. The images are of Mexico City and surrounding areas. They are unmounted
and in fine condition. The captions are printed in the negative and most have the loco “CIF.” On the
verso in ink is written “Propiedad particuar de Sr. L. Montes de Oca.”
Shown in this group are views of the Palacio de Communicaciones (now the National Art
Museum), Palacio de Mineria, Centro Mercado, Avenida Juarez (showing the unfinished Bellas Artes in
the background) , Xochimilco, and gardens at Coyoacan.
The photographic firm CIF was popular throughout the 1920’s, offering crisp views of Mexico
City, portraits of notables and a large array of postcards.
This group of photographs was owned by Luis Montes de Oca, who in 1921 was the Mexican
Council General in El Paso. Advancing in the world of finance, he became the Secretary of Finance from
1927 to 1932 and was later appointed by President Cárdenas as the director of Banco de Mexico,
Mexico’s central bank. $750.
8. GOVE & NORTH. ESTATUA DE COLON. MEXICO. 413. Circa 1890. A large albumen photograph
measuring 8 x 10 ½ inches, and tipped to a paper mount, 10 x 13 inches. Some edge fading.
Otis M. Gove (1851 – 1931) was an American who worked in Mexico during the 1880’s. He
entered into partnership with F. E. North around 1890 and, as the firm “Gove & North,” produced
numerous views throughout Mexico. Though unsigned, this photograph was attributed to Gove & North
by the destinctive calligraphy of the caption.
The statue of Columbus, on the Reforma, Mexico City, was produced by the French sculpture
Charles Cordier and finished in 1877. $185.
9. GOVE & NORTH. (Alameda Park & House). 1885. A group of five mounted albumen photographs
measuring 5 x 8 ¼ inches, with the photogarpher’s hand stamps on verso. All edges gilt, one mount
chipped.
Three of the images show views of the Alameda, near the corners of San Diego Street and
Avenida Juarez, with ink notations at the bottom of the mount. The other two are of a house,
presumably at this location. On the verso of one view is written in pencil “For Anita. Taken Sept. 20/85.”
$385.
10. HOLGUIN Y BERUMEN / R. DIAZ. PRESA DE LA BOQUILLA, CHIHUAHUA. Circa 1915. A group of 41
unmounted silver gelatin prints, showing the recently constructed dam and electrical plant on the Rio
Conchos in the State of Chihuahua. Fifteen of the images are 5 x 7 inches, some with the handstamp for
the photographers Holguin y Berumen on the verso; four measure 6 ½ x 8 ½ inches and the
photographer is anonymous; five large images are 8 x 10 inches and are signed R. Diaz in the negative;
and the final 15 images are anonymous panoramas, 4 x 12 inches that show the river and the
surrounding landscape. Light spotting to a few images.
In 1909 the company Agricola Force SE Electirca del Rio Conchos won the contract to use the
water of Rio Conchos for power generation. A dam was started in 1909, but as a result of the
revolution, work was suspended until 1916. A hydroelectric plant was built at the base of the dam.
Shown are views of the dam from above and below; the exterior of the hydroelectric plant;
interior views showing massive machinery; and the huge tunnel used to channel water. $850.
11. IBARRA, JUSTO. PUERTA DE MEXICO EN VERACRUZ. Circa 1865. Stereographic view on mount with
the photographer’s information on the verso. From the series “Vistas Mexicanas por J. Ibarra.” Rich,
dark tones.
Justo Ibarra opened a studio in Guadalajara in 1862, before going into partnership with Vincente
Contreras, a photographer from Guanajuato with whom he published an early series of stereoscopic
views. $150.
12. JACKSON, WILLIAM HENRY. 5226. THE FOUNTAIN AT ZACATECAS. Circa 1885. Mounted albumen
photograph measuring 4 ¼ x 6 ½ inches on 11 x 14 inch card mount, captioned in the negative. A rich,
deep print.
William Henry Jackson (1843-1942), pioneer photographer of the American west, visited Mexico
in 1883 and 1884, under contract from the Mexican Central Railway Company to promote its recently
opened line from Ciudad Juarez to Mexico City. Jackson made more than 500 photographs during his
two trips to Mexico, primarily landscapes, but included were numerous village scenes and informal
group portraits.
This jewel-like view of women drawing water from the central fountain in Zacatecas is attributed
to Jackson from the numbering and destinctive hand writing of the caption. $350.
13. KILBURN BROTHERS. NO. 1144. POPOCATAPETL, FROM AMECA-MECA, MEXICO. 1873. Stereographic
view on printed mount. 7 x 3 ½ inches. Rich, dark tones.
Benjamin and Edward Kilburn, of Littleton, New Hampshire, were prolific publishers of
stereoscopic photographs. In 1873, Ben Kilburn spent some weeks in Mexico, producing over 150 stereo
views. He must have taken a ship from Boston to Veracruz and then the railroad overland to Mexico
City. Amecameca, in the eastern corner of the State of Mexico, sits at the foot of the volcano
Popocatapetl and is the popular starting point for those interested in climbing the volcano. $85.
14. LE DUC, ALBERTO (Architect). (THEATRE CONSTRUCTION). May, 1929. A group of six silver gelatin
photographs showing the construction of the Teatro Emperador Caltzontzin in Patzcuaro, State of
Michoachn. 5 ½ x 5 ¼ inches, trimmed of margins. Descriptive text in ink on the versos of the
photographs. Accompanied by a business card for “Alberto Le Duc, Arquitecto, Mexico D.F.” Most likely
the photographs were taken by Le Duc.
On the north side of the Plaza Chica stood the San Agustin Church. In the early 20th century the
church was renovated into the town library, with a fine, early mural by Juan O’Gorman, while the
cloister was turned into the Theatro Emperador Caltzontzin, as seen in these photographs. $285.
15. MARTIN. (COLIMA / MANZANILLA / CUYUTLAN). Circa 1930. A fine group of 29 blue toned panorama
silver gelatin prints. Each measures 3 ¾ x 11 inches and is captioned in the negative. The photographer is
identified as “Foto Martin.” Very fine condition.
All images are from the state of Colima. Included are: fifteen photographs of the city of Colima,
with views of the plaza, churches, and regional buildings; seven photographs at the beach in Cuyutlan,
showing bathers cavorting in the surf; and seven photographs of Manzanillo showing the harbor and
town. $950.
16. ROUSE, A. F. CANANEA CONSOLIDATED COPPER CO. Circa 1910. A fine, composite silver gelatin
print measuring 9 ¼ x 7 ¼ inches. Signed “Rouse” in the negative. A crease and small abrasion on the
lover right side.
The Cananea Consolidated Copper Company, located in northern Sonora, Mexico, was founded
in 1906 by William Cornell Green. It was among a group of mining operations that were involved in a
deadly worker’s strike in 1906. By 1917, it was sold to the Anaconda Mining Co.
This composite includes six photograph of the interior and exterior of the mine’s smelting
buildings, within an ornate drawn border which include miners tools and the shields of the United States
and Mexico. $225.
17. SCOTT, WINFILD. (WOMAN WITH GUITAR). Circa 1905. An unmounted, toned silver gelatin print
measuring 7 ½ x 4 ½ inches showing a young woman, holding an armadillo guitar, in front of a studio
background. Signed and numbered 986 in the negative.
Winfield Scott (1863 – 1942) was born in Michigan, but moved to Mexico in 1895 and settled in
Silao, Guanajuato. In 1900 he set up house on Lake Chapala where he announced sale of “true portraits
of the life and landscape of this country of unparalleled picturesqueness.” He moved to California in
1910 due to the revolution, but returned in 1912. He travelled back and forth between California and
Mexico, until 1924, when he moved back to California and died there in 1942.
Scott’s specialty was the portrayal of women and children. $195.
18. SCOTT, WINFIELD. CHAPALA. Circa 1905. A mounted, toned silver gelatin print measuring 4 ½ x 7
inches showing a large waterfront home on Lake Chapala, with a fishing boat in the foreground. Signed,
captioned and numbered 2099 in the negative.
“Scott In 1900 he bought some land in Ocotlan on the shores of Lake Chapala, where he set up
house with a local woman, leaving a large number of views of the lake and it’s vicinity.” – Mexico. A
Photographic History. $150.
19. WAITE, CHARLES B. #1624. POTTERY VENDERS IN MEXICO. Circa 1910. An unmounted, toned silver
gelatin print measuring 5 x 8 inches showing a cobbled street during a pottery market. Signed and titled
in the negative. Photographer’s hand stamp on verso. With rich, dark tones.
Waite was a California photographer who went to Mexico in 1896. He opened a studio in
Mexico City and for the next seventeen years produced a large body of work depicting the daily life of
the Mexican people. There are 3,440 of his photographs in the National Archives of Mexico. His
commercial work was reproduced in books, pamphlets, postcards, numerous periodicals, and
promotional literature. $195.
20. WAITE, CHARLES B. #660. GENERAL PORFIRIO DIAZ. PRESIDENT OF MEXICO. Circa 1910. An
unmounted toned silver gelatin print measuring 8 x 5 inches. Shown is a three-quarters portrait of
President Diaz in his military uniform. Titled in the negative and with the photographer’s hand stamp on
the verso. $165.