Rich photographic album comprising the title page and 65 oval silver prints mounted on heavy paper, all on tabs.
Full bottle-green morocco binding, spine without lettering, raised bands framed with black fillets, double blind-ruled frame on covers, gilt roll tooling on the caps, gilt title stamped at the center of the upper cover, comb-marbled endpapers and pastedowns, wide gilt dentelle borders on pastedowns, all edges gilt, one upper corner slightly rubbed, gilt fillets on board edges, an elegant contemporary binding signed by Thouvenin fils.
Minor surface scuffing.
One of the most renowned works by the photographer Alophe (1811–1883). A commemorative album featuring photographic portraits of all the delegates, along with two images of the Union's assembly hall: I. France (Adolphe Cochery – 2 portraits –, A. Besnier, Th. Ansault, Elie Roy, Martial Housez). – II. Germany (Stephan, Günther, Sachse, Hubert). – III. Argentina (Carlos Calvo). – IV. Austria-Hungary (Guillaume Dewez, Michel Gervay, E. Fritsch). – V. Belgium (J. Vinchent, F. Gife). – VI. Brazil (Itajuba). – VII. Chile (Alberto Blest Gana). – VIII. Denmark (J. L. Schou, Petersen). – IX. Egypt (Caillard, Chioffi). – X. Spain (Gregorio Villaamil, Emilio de Navasqües). – XI. United States (James Tyner, Joseph H. Blackfan). – XII. Great Britain (Adams, Page, Alan MacLean, Hogg, Ham). – XIII. Greece (N.-P. Delyanni, Mansolas). – XIV. Haiti (Charles Noël). – XV. Hawaii (William Martin). – XVI. Italy (Tantesio). – XVII. Japan (Nanobou Sameshima, Samuel M. Bryan, Muralt). – XVIII. Liberia (Léopold Carrance). – XIX. Luxembourg (Victor de Roebe). – XX. Mexico (Gavino Barreda). – XXI. Norway (Hefty). – XXII. Netherlands (Hofstede, C. W. Sweerts de Landas-Wyborgh). – XXIII. Peru (Juan de Goyeneche). – XXIV. Portugal (Barros, Ferreira dos Santos). – XXV. Romania (Robesco). – XXVI. Russia (Velho, Poggenpohl). – XXVII. El Salvador (Torres Caïcedo). – XXVIII. Serbia (Mladen Radoykovitch). – XXIX. Sweden (Roos). – XXX. Switzerland (Kern, Edmond Höhn). – XXXI. Turkey (Bedros Couyoumgian). – XXXII. Uruguay (Juan Diaz). – XXXIII. Venezuela (Antonio Parra Bolivar). – XXXIV. International Bureau (Eugène Borel, Moret, Recoing, Duparcq). Founded on October 9, 1874 during the International Postal Conference in Bern, the General Postal Union became, with the significant increase in membership, the Universal Postal Union in 1878.
A fine copy, beautifully bound in full morocco by Thouvenin jeune.