[Franklin Blake Album]

This unique album, compiled around 1863, offers a fascinating glimpse into the early days of photography, showcasing the versatility of the medium through various sizes and printing techniques. Unlike many institutional collections of the era, this album feels deeply personal, almost like a family scrapbook. It contains both albumen silver prints and salted paper prints, a testament to the evolving photographic processes of the mid-19th century. The inclusion of panoramas alongside smaller carte-de-visite formats highlights an experimental spirit, pushing the boundaries of what photography could capture and present. This collection isn't just a historical document; it's a window into a private world, preserving faces and places that were significant to its original owner, Franklin Blake, whose identity remains a compelling mystery.