Mallitte, Oscar (ca. 1829 - 1905) & Others. Album with 139 Original Gelatin Silver and Albumen Photos of Northern India, Showing Philander Smith College (Methodist Residential School), Its Principal, Teachers and Students, Mussoorie, Landour, Nainital, Delhi, Agra, and Excellent Ethnographic Portraits of Indian People: Tailors, Servants and Ayahs, Coal Burners, Sweepers, Water Carriers, Coolies, Artisans, Sellers in Various Shops (General Merchant, Sweetmeat, Fruit and Vegetable, “Moody Shop,” Stick Maker, Goldsmith, Wood Carver, “Cashmere Cloth”), &c. Ca. late 1890s - early 1900s.

Oblong Folio (ca. 28,5x37,5 cm). 45 grey card stock leaves (20 blank). With 139 original gelatin silver and albumen photos (mostly mounted, four loosely inserted) of various size, from ca. 20,5x28cm (8x11 in) to ca. 4,5x8,5 cm (1 ¾ x 3 ¼ in). Over thirty photos are captioned and/or signed in negative (“Mallitte,” “O.M.,” “C.S.”). At least five photos with ink or pencil captions on the mounts or the verso. Period dark brown full cloth album. Binding rubbed and with minor tears on the extremities and the spine; two leaves at the front are detached and loosely inserted; one leaf in the middle of the album with the right half cut off; about ten photos with minor creases, losses or damage to the image; three photos previously removed; a few photos mildly faded; overall a good album of strong interesting photos.

Historically significant extensive collection of early original photos of northern India, centered around the history of the Philander Smith Institute in Mussoorie – a respectable residential school for boys in a popular hill station of British India (in modern-day Uttarakhand state of India). Founded in 1884 by the widow of an Illinois businessman and philanthropist, Philander Smith (1809-1882), the Institute was supervised by the Methodist Episcopal Church of America. In 1905, it was amalgamated with the Oak Openings High School in Nainital under the name of Philander Smith College and existed as a residential school for boys until the Indian independence (see more about the school’s early history). Since 1947, it continues to work as Birla Vidya Mandir public residential school for boys.

Most likely compiled by the school’s teacher, who worked both in the Mussoorie and Nainital locations, the album opens with a photo of the school’s premises in Nainital (slightly erroneous caption reads “Philander Smith Institute, Nainital”); a partly-visible sign on the building reads “Headmaster’s Office.” Eight group portraits (including two large identical photos) depict high school students and teachers, including R.C. Busher (a headmaster of the Philander Smith Institute in 1899-1905 and the first headmaster of the Philander Smith College, starting in 1905). Busher is identified by a manuscript caption on one of the group portraits. The same note mentions the “Dad” of the caption writer, who “was an M.A. but owned no M.A. gown” and was apparently portrayed in the same photo. The portraits also feature Rev. Frank S. Ditto (1865-1948) – a teacher from DePauw University (Indiana), who became the first principal of the Philander Smith College. Another photo shows Frank S. Ditto and his family posing with an American flag.

The album also includes about thirty photos, attributed to a noted French photographer, Oscar Mallitte, who was active in India since the 1850s and became known for a series of the first portraits of the Andaman Islanders in 1857. The photos include views of Mussoorie (Kulri Bazar, the Mall, “Happy Valley”) and the nearby town of Landour (the Parade Ground, Tailor’s Flats), but the majority are lively ethnographic photos of the locals – tailors, servants and ayahs (house workers and babysitters), coal burners, sweepers, sellers in various shops (general merchant, sweetmeat, fruits and vegetables, “moody shop,” stick maker’s, goldsmith, wood carver, “Cashmere cloth”), water carriers, coolies, “sikleegur and brass worker,” and others.

Other interesting images include snapshot views of the Methodist church in Mussoorie, Nainital Lake, portraits of members of a local Christian congregation (possibly Methodist), Indian school children, street sellers, fakirs, the compiler’s family members and servants, &c. Two images portray Europeans at native weddings. The other photos show Delhi (Qutub Minar and the Iron Pillar, Qila Rai Pithora, Diwan-i-Khas in the Red Fort) and Agra (exterior and interior of Taj Mahal, Agra Fort, Moti Masjid, Tomb of Itimad-ud-Daulah). Overall an interesting collection of original photos of the Philander Smith Institute and its students, as well as Mussoorie and the people of northern India.

A list of captions (in negative): Koolri Bazar. Mallitte. 3; 187. Kutab Minar and the Iron Pillar. Delhi; 113. Ancient Fort of Rai Pithora and the ruins; The Dewan Khas Fort, Delhi; Agra Taj, River side; A bit of road in Landour. O.M. 58; Our tailors; The Mall, Mussoorie. M.O. 28; The parade ground, Landour. O.M. 117; Sweet-meat shop. O.M. 128; The Ayah logs. O.M. 107; Happy Valley from the monastery. Mussoorie. O.M. 69; General merchant shop. O.M. 89; Vegetables seller. O.M. 94; “Chota Hazeri.” Our khansamah. O.M. 103; Fruits & vegetables shop. O.M. 84; Group of coal burners in the hills. O.M. 07; Moody shop. Landour bazaar. O.M. 67; Buniah’s shop. O.M. 85; Our sweepers meyhers. O.M. 102; Water carrier. O.M. 96; Cashmere cloth merchant. O.M. 95; Hand spinning in the hills. O.M. 135; Tailor’s flats. Landour. Mallitte. 24; Tobacco shop. O.M. 86; Pahari. Jampanis civilized. O.M. 83; Durrie dandy in the hills. O.M. 100; Group of Pahari coolies. O.M. [03?]; Stick maker shop. O.M. 01; View from the Mall. O.M. 44; From Convent Hill. East view; Pan Soopari shop. Betel nuts. O.M. 112; Goldsmith shop; Paharee coolies carrying a hog’s head […?]. O.M. 101; [A shop with the sign “Noor Bux Kabaree”]. O.M. 87; Sikleegur and brass worker. O.M. 109; Wood carver shop. O.M. 92.

A list of manuscript captions: Philander Smith Institute, Nainital [ink on the mount]; […?] bungalow <…> [ink on verso]; Procession – Delhi – 29 Dec. 1902 [pencil on verso]; Volunteer Sports Day. Mussoorie, India. Nov 1902 [ink on verso]; Hi [sic!] School Class. Mr. Busher in Master’s gown, Dad was an M.A. but owned no M.A. gown. <…> [ink on the mount].