Views of Cincinnati

Very Good. Set of six mounted albumens depicting artwork of early Cincinnati, Ohio by artist John Casper Wild. We believe the photographer of these images is James Landy, of Landy Photo, Cincinnati, although no imprint is present. Likely taken around 1880s. All albumens are on original mounts which measure 15" x 17 ¾"; albumens measure 10" x 13 ½". All are identified in pencil on mounts; no content on verso. Also included in this set is a 5"x7" sepia-toned photo print of one of the albumens and two color lithographs published by the Cincinnati Historical Society in the late 1960s. Mounts have moderate soiling and light wear; original mounts are affixed to modern cardstock mounts; a couple of the albumens have minor soiling and all have light yellowing. Overall very good. John Caspar Wild (1804-1846) was the artist of the original watercolors depicted in these photographs. He was born in Switzerland, lived in Paris for 15 years and came to Philadelphia in the 1830s. He lived in Cincinnati between 1835 and 1837. Wild's original watercolors were created in 1835, and are currently found at the Cincinnati Museum Center. The photographer of the albumens is believed to be James M. Landy (1838-1897). He was prolific in Cincinnati and won awards in Chicago, Paris, New York, Vienna and London. One of Landy's greatest achievements was the 1872 volume "Cincinnati Past and Present, or, its Industrial History as Exhibited in the Life-Labors of its Leading Men." Landy took two years making the illustrations for this book "nearly 70,000 [illustrations] were required for the whole edition" (University of Cincinnati Libraries). It is unknown why Landy took photos of Wild's artwork but it could have possibly been for a book. Titles of photographs are as follows: Front St Between Main and Sycamore, G. Taylor's Old Residence Corner 3rd and Vine, Cincinnati from Covington, Cincinnati Wharf from Newport and Covington, S.W. Corner of 4th and Vine, and 4th Street West of Walnut. The large plate albumens are quite stunning and we have found no copies in commerce or on OCLC as of January 2020. .