HENSEL, Loudolph (Louis). Original Photo Souvenir of Wilkesbarre, PA [Pennsylvania, Susquehanna River, Steamboats, Ladies in White, The Coal Exchange, Wyoming Monument]. Hawley, PA: L. Hensel, [1880].

Souvenir Photo Album, 5 1/2 x 7 1/2 professionally produced souvenir book circa 1880. Nine 4 x 6 sepia toned photographs mounted on heavy (card-stock quality) pages. Scenes from Wilkesbarre, PA late 1800's. Photos by photographer Loudolph (Louis) Hensel, whose photography business was renown in Pennsylvania from 1876 until his death in 1927. Original grosgrain ribbon still attached at front of book, but ribbon not intact through all pages. Leaves (and ribbon holes intact) although some leaves detached. This souvenir book shows scenes circa 1880: horse drawn carts and carriages, prominent local buildings, and other sites of Wilkesbarre, PA including: Susquehanna River, Steamboats, Ladies in White, The Coal Exchange. Each photo is captioned. Photo of Wyoming Monument is not surrounded by a cast iron fence which suggests the photo was taken prior to 1890; clothing also suggests circa 1880. These photographs predate the fire that destroyed Hensel's photographic studio: "Tragedy struck the town of Hawley on July 19, 1897 when a spreading fire destroyed almost an entire block. Several Main Avenue businesses burned, including Hensel's photographic studio. Adding to the loss, not only to Hensel but to the generations, was his collection of glass plates taken up to that time." One copy on WorldCat located at Harvard.

Price: $1,250.00