Watson Collection: Album of snapshot views in Persia and India.. Photographer(s):...

Maroon half-leather album, measuring 278 x 380 mm, containing prints (mostly snapshots) mounted several to a page, with handwritten captions. Prints 1-20 'Poona 1901-1903', including portraits of dogs and horses and shikar scenes. Prints 21-90 Miscellaneous portraits, from 1903, taken while Watson was attached to British consulates in NE Persia (Iran), including staff of the Sistan Consulate, Russian officials, Persian officials including Governors and minor chiefs, various named British officials, carpet makers and sellers, and villagers in Asterabad District. Prints 91-104 Portraits of armed Baluchis, Turks and Persians involved in the constitutional revolution in Persia, between 1905-c.09, including Salar Khan and Baluchi followers, Tukish revolutionaries, the declaration of the deposition of Shah Muhammad Ali, and guns on the streets of Mashhad. Prints 105-123 Miscellaneous views and portraits, 1898-1901, including Watson's first pony at Baroda, Hyderabad (Sindh) Fort, snake charmer, village well and sugar cane mill, passengers on SS India, and Parbati Temple at Poona. Prints 124-163 'Bikaner 1910-1911', including Watson's bungalow, camel sowars, Gangurji Festival, tank views, wild pigs, portrait of Maharaj Kumar Sadul Singh with his first black buck, camel carriages, old palace views, shikar group, Memorial Hall and Library, Lalgarh Palace, and Bikaner Camel Corps on parade. Prints 164-176 Miscellaneous views in Rajasthan, including Amber palace, Abu lake, Jaipur museum, an ascetic, and villagers en route to a mela. Prints 177-210 Views in Alwar, including City Palace, shooting tower, Fort, snake charmer and juggler, hospital, Watson's bungalow and garden, palace tigers, elephant carriage, and portraits. Prints 211-233 'Alwar Camp, Delhi Durbar, 1911', including general camp scenes, Alwar retainers, Bikaner Camel Corps, Kashmir Gate, Maharaja of Jaipur and Colonel Showers, minor Rajput chiefs, Majaraja of Bikaner, Maharaja of Alwar, and general view of the Durbar. Prints 234-239 Portraits and views of Watson's bungalow at Bharatpur. Prints 240-245 Views of palaces at Dig. Prints 246-250 Views of the Taj Mahal and Itimad-ud-daulah's tomb at Agra. Prints 251-255 Miscellaneous views, including Bari, Dholpur, Gobardhan, and Agra. Prints 256-260 Views at Bharatpur, including a sport in which a horseman drives a black buck to stand on a sheet layed out on the ground. Prints 261-263 Views at Delhi, including the Qutb complex and Purana Qila. Prints 264-267 Views on the Simla-Kalka road, including group in a car. Prints 268-274 Views at Gwalior, including temples in the Fort, tiger hunting group, and Lashkar street scene. Prints 275-297 Views and portraits in the Bhopal Agency, including ruins at Pathari, portrait of Europeans in camp, shikaris with dead tiger, group of girls performing a song, tiger skins, and miscellaneous portraits. Prints 298-301 'Swainswick Cottage...near Bath, family house'. Prints 302-304 Interiors of Abu temples by professional photographer. Print 305 Interior of the Diwan-i-Khas, Fatehpur Sikri, by a professional photographer. Prints 306-309 Hunting groups, including duck, tiger, bears and deer. Print 310 View of temples and dwellings at an unidentified location (Abu?). Print 311 Formal group portrait at Bikaner, with the Maharaja, European officials and their wives. Print 312 Formal group portait of an Indian regiment, with Colonel J. W. Watson. John Williams Watson (b. 1874) served in the Indian Medical Service from 1898-1929. In 1908 he was civil surgeon at the Consulate at Turbat-i-Haidari, south of Meshed.

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