19th Century Photo Album with American Flag

N.p. , N.d. (19th cent). 16mo. (6 1/2 x 5 1/4 inches) bound in elaborate brown leather with brass clasps, gilt decorated spine with 4 raised bands and “Album” in gilt in second compartment. All edges gilt and gauffered with paintings: American flag to fore edge, and sailing ships to bottom and top edges. Multicolored title page with floral and gilt decoration surrounding oval compartment with “Photographic Album” printed within.25 leaves with photo inserted into each oval compartment on every recto and verso. 3 pages with calligraphic design rather than (truncated) photos; 1 loose photo laid in. Photo pasted to rear pastedown (bearing the date “1863?). Most pages with name of person pictured. Laid in is sheet bearing letterhead of Mrs. F. C. Alexander of Winchester, Massachusetts and which lists many of the people included, most of whom are from the Lowell family. Other names include Morse and Langdon. 3 “captains” are identified.Interesting genealogy and history of 19th century family in a rare binding. EXTRAORDINARILY BOUND ALBUM WITH PAINTING ON EACH EDGE (Inventory #: 495N.d. (19th cent))