Watson Collection: Album of snapshot views in Persia. Photographer(s): Watson, John...

Black half-leather album, measuring 278 x 380 mm, containing snapshot prints mounted several to a page with handwritten captions. Prints 1-60 Miscellaneous views and portraits at Torbat-e-Heydariyeh, including the consulate and staff, the hospital and staff, and tomb of Qutb-din-Haidar. Prints 61-66 'March to Turbat-i-Haidari from Quetta, 1903'. Views en route. Prints 67-72 Miscellaneous snapshots, including camp scenes, view in a Persian village, and the 'Rud Mahjun' hills. Prints 73-78 The Consulate General and garden, Mashhad. Prints 79-84 'March to Turbat, 1903'. Views of Zaidun, with Sistan Boundary Commission at work. Prints 85-92 Miscellaneous views at Mashhad, including Gauhar Shad's mosque and portraits of the Franklin family. Prints 93-102 'Shikar in Persia'. Portraits of shikaris with dead urials and panthers. Prints 103-108 'Tour to Kalat-i-Nadiri'. Views include Nadir Shah's treasure house, inscriptions, and local inhabitants. Prints 109-120 'Tour north of Meshed'. Views include monuments at Gumbad and Tus, and the Hazar Masjid mountain range. Prints 121-139 Views at Nishapur and surrounding region, including Omar Khayyam's tomb, Kadamgar shrine, Shaikh Attar's tomb, turquoise mining and polishing, Subzawar monuments and Jagherk Valley. Prints 140-167 Views in Torbat District, including caravanseries, Bedar Pass, Rud Mahjun hills, Satari village, shrine at Buriabad, and plague quarantine camp outside Jungal. Prints 168-186 Views of Birjand, including the Vice-Consulate and general town views. Prints 187-199 Miscellaneous views, including the Jagherk Valley and farming scenes. Prints 200-216 Views of Kainat, including Furk Fort, Darmian, Durukhsh, Khushk and Shaukatabad. Prints 217-235 'Tours North West of Meshed'. Views include the caravanseries at Maindasht and Zafarani, Kurd sowars, Bujnard and hill scenes. Prints 236-251 'Turkoman'. Views in North-East Iran (Asterabad District) including village life in Gorgan, Goklam, Yamut, Gonbad-e Kavus and Ramian, and part of the remains of Alexander's Wall. Prints 252-266 Views in Asterabad District and border towns, including Persian villages, tomb of Sultan Bayezid at Bastam, and Governor's house at Gorgan (or Asterabad). Prints 267-282 Miscellaneous views in Iran and on the Trans-Caspian Railway, including Badishiran (Russo-Persian Frontier Station), Persian horse-drawn carriage, Samarkand street scene, Ashkhabad bazaar and Bukhara Station. Prints 283-317 Miscellaneous views at Samarkand (Tamerlane's tomb, Ulugh Beg's madrassa and registan), Bukhara, Tashkent and Tbilisi (Tiflis). Prints 318-347 Miscellaneous views and ethnographical portraits in North-East Iran, including hawking parties, Muharram scenes, Shah's birthday party at Birjand, wrestlers, a strong man, dervishes, nomads and beggars. Prints 348-355 Officers and men of the 35th Scinde Horse at Torbat-e-Heydariyeh. A number of the views in this album were taken during a tour of Northern Iran made with Major (Sir) Percy Molesworth Sykes in November-December 1908. For Sykes' account of this tour, which is illustrated with 15 of Watson's photographs, see Photo 1053. 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.

Unrestricted. Appointment Required to view these records. Please consult Asian and African Studies Print Room staff.