SOLD
Origin: English
Period: Early through to Late 20th Century
Provenance: The Cooper & Warner Families of Liverpool & Cheshire
Date: The Photographs, 1925-1995
Height: 16 inches
Width: 11 inches
Presenting a large and comprehensive compendium of genealogy and social history, containing over four hundred and fifty beautifully shot and diverse photographs, that span over seventy years displayed on fifty pages, this is a truly excellent example of a family scrap album.
Relating to the Hooper and Warner families of Liverpool and Cheshire, unusual subjects include photographs of clothes made by the families during the war. It is clear that the families were talented not only in photography but also other skills ranging from making marionettes to a purpose built home cinema that featured in Ideal Home magazine.
Most of the photographs were taken in the thirties and forties, though they stretch right up until relatively recently, the shots becoming colour as the technology allows. More importantly, perhaps, the photographs contained within the album display an artful and photographic skill rarely seen in average family offerings. Quite simply put they are wonderfully shot, some staged, some seem to be spontaneous snapshots of the world around us but either way each and every photograph is utterly charming.
The photographs are laid or hinged to pages and most retain good contrast and clarification. Largely taken in Britain, but also Paris, France, and German cities pre-World War Two including Hamburg, Dresden and Frankfurt are featured. Locations in the UK shown include Anglesey, Bidstow, Chester, Wrexham, Newcastle, Penrith, Waltham Abbey, Whitby, London, Stratford, Bath, Manchester, Edale, Frodsham, Coventry and of course Liverpool and Chester to name but a few. The album also includes breathtaking shots of Cobham’s Flying Circus at Speke, Liverpool, and the Glasgow Exhibition of 1938. Other subjects widely encompass architecture, wildlife and fashion but the core values remain the family and the social history of its time.
To give a full account of this incredible album is just not possible, one must sit down and spend ample time pouring over the pages, allowing each photograph to tell its own story; thus giving fresh insight into politics, places, people, science, fashion, aviation, geography, art, nature and essentially; life itself.
Therefore, ultimately, this description fails in summarising the magnitude and weight of history that is lodged within the pages of the album and for that reason we implore you to explore it, and delight in it – because each time it is opened, it never fails to amaze.