World Tour Photo album on the R.M.S. Ormonde, leaving Sydney 19 December 1923.
c. 1923 - 25. Hardcover. 246 vernacular albumen photos documenting an Australian family's "World Tour" on the R.M.S. Ormonde from December 1923 to June 1925. The photographs are meticulously captioned in ink with location and date. Someone kept a very good log of all of the sites they visited. Several shots include the 'family' - 4 women and possibly another person/photographer, but sadly, no names are shared.
Highlights include images of the "first snow in Florence in 30 years, Big gun captured by Australian in Abancourt, France, UK Derby Day Races (4 June 1924), on the Bodleian Oxford roof, Hotel where the Kaiser was when war declared Balholm, Axenstrasse drive on shores of Lake Lucerne, Burns' cottage, Cumberland's stone from which he gave directions on the Field of Culloden, Flatiron and traffic signal box N.Y., Easter Parade, Dressed for trip under Niagara Falls, C.P.R. Engine (train), Husky Stadium, University Campus Seattle (built of douglas fir without a nail), Yosemite, SS Aorangi, Suva."
The album starts in Sydney, Australia (1 image) in 1923, and continues to the Suez Canal (4), Naples (5), Sicily (11), Florence (7), Venice (2), San Remo (3), Nice (5), Versailles (3), United Kingdom (23), Norway (12), Scotland (45), Boston (3), New York City (5), Philadelphia (4), Washington DC (11), Niagara Falls (9), Canadian Rockies (11), British Columbia (5), Yosemite (6), Grand Canyon (4), Santa Monica (1), Hawaii (18), Fiji (6), Auckland (3) and more. 2 additional uncaptioned shots at back of a boat terminal and housing area, possibly in Sydney.
The R.M.S. Ormonde [1917 - 1952] was built by the Orient Steam Navigation Company Ltd. and immediately requisitioned as a troop ship for W.W.I. In 1919 she was refitted as she was originally intended as a 'fine passenger liner'. She was converted from coal fired to the more economical oil fuel in April 1923. She served in W.W.II, and later was chartered by the British Ministry of Transport to operate government-supported emigrant voyages to Australia .
Period tan cloth, "Album" printed on front cover, Society Stationery stamp inside front, 11 x 14 1/2", roughly 4 to 5 images per page, most images 5 3/8 x 3 1/8" (some smaller), 30pp plus 10pp blank. Images b&w in fine condition. Covers marked, front hinge starting, spine ruffled and one hole, otherwise vgc. Otherwise very good condition. Item #26789
Price: $500.00