Harropian Books

[Rockies] Through the Selkirks of B.C. from Victoria to Field - w. Foldout Views

Unknown Photographer

Vancouver, BC: The Thomson Stationary Co., n.d. [c. 1907?]. Paperback. Cover title. A circa 1907 view book containing 23 views (inc. the vignette pastedown on front cover) by The Thomson Stationary Co., showing the magnificent countryside between Victoria and Field, BC, with many of the views (12) in the mountainous Selkirk range. String bound view book with title printed in white onto upper cover, oblong 8vo size (9 inches tall), pp. unpaginated [22] leaves (inc. the two panoramic foldouts) with images pasted by their corners onto rectos, with versos blank. This collection of images - which at first blush appear to be real photographs, are all high quality Collotypes that have had a surface coating added by the publisher which successfully mimics the look of a photographic emulsion. All images are titled in negative and are in about fine condition, save the cover vignette "Emerald Lake Near Field, B.C." which is more toned than the interior images. Volume cover has tears to Yapp edges and also near the spine folds of upper cover. Incorporated in 1896, the Thomson Stationary Co. occupied their Hastings St. address starting about 1900, they also had branch offices in Nelson, BC and Calgary, Alberta. The company was purchased by Manfred Gaskell, Edward Odlum, and Albert Stabler in 1909, so this view book was likely printed prior to that date, with the credit inside the front cover stating "Published by The Thomson Stationary Co., 323 Hastings Street, Vancouver, B.C.". The Hastings St. address was burned with most of the stock being lost in 1912, which may account for the scarcity of this Selkirk Range view book. An uncommon survivor. Very Good. Item #5056

OCLC locates just one copy of this view book located in Canada and one other copy in the United States, that being held at Yale, who note their copy as being "imperfect". Ref. Canada Bookseller and Stationer - July 1896 : The Miner - May 23, 1896 [not seen]. n.b. another dating clue can be found on the image titled "Great Glacier at Glacier B.C." which shows a frontal view of the snout of the glacier similar to a 1904 Notman image. See Putman's "The Great Glacier and its House" p. 89.

Price: $375.00 CAD  other currencies