Photograph album of Buffalo, NY

40 mounted original photographs, mostly albumen (36) and tin types (?) (3), slightly varying sizes but mostly carte-de-visite format comprising views of the city (32) with views of its catholic churches (5) and 8 portraits of catholic clergy including 4 portraits of the owner of the album Georg Pax. All photographs loosely contained in matts within gilt rules on recto and verso of 20 white cardboard leaves. Buffalo (1865 - early 1870's). Cont. black morocco, gilt title on spine 'Album' and one metal clasp and hatch to fore edge. Inner gilt dentelles. Front cover with a finely painted raised medal with a half-length tempera portrait of pope Pius IX within a silver frame. All edges gilt. (215 x 170 mm). Minor rubbing to extremeties.

The album belonged to and was probably compiled by the catholic priest Georg Pax, his printed booklabel on front paste-down, who was ordained priest in 1861 and appointed secretary to the bishop of Buffalo in 1862. It seems plausible that the album was put together by Pax before his visit to Rome in 1873 where he was given an audience by pope Pius IX. The portrait photographs include a portrait of John McCloskey (1810-1885) the first American born Archbishop of New York from 1864 until his death in 1885, another of the first bishop of the diocese of Buffalo John Timon who was in office from 1847-1867, followed by a portrait of the second bishop Stephen V. Ryan who was in office from 1868-1896. Front fly-leaf with a printed slip of paper with a personal record of Georg Pax, born 1832 in the small village of Sarreinsming in France. Loosely inserted is a double-page folded contemporary manuscript index by Pax (?) with a description of the photographs. All photographs richly toned with interesting street views, important architectural structures, parks and panorama views of Buffalo the second largest city in the state of New York. A remarkable survivor.