[World War I] [Photography]. Soldier's Souvenir Photograph Album, 3rd Infantry Division, France

[World War I] [Photography]. Soldier's Souvenir Photograph Album, 3rd Infantry Division, France, First World War. [1918]. Quarto. [88] pp. Contemporary imitation leather over thin boards; stamped "Photographs." on the front cover. Compiler has mounted the 3rd Division insignia on the front cover; 149 photographs mounted using photo corners (one photograph is laid in). 85 photographs are roughly 8.5" x 6.5"; another 64 range between 2.5" x 2.5" and 3" x 5." Wear with closed tears/snags to the spine material; rubbing to the covers; some wear to the page edges; generally, a solid and stable binding, allowing for comfortable perusal.

We are unable to identify the individual who compiled this album, but the album has a very tight focus on the 3rd Infantry Division in France between May and October of 1918 (only a few photographs are a little later than this and few of the images are from Germany). The photographs are a blend of souvenir photos and photographed copies of official photographs capturing the Signal Corp stamp and some manuscript notes on the originals. Most of the larger format photographs have typed descriptions mounted beneath them or in the bottom margin. The subject matter of the photographs includes portraits of notable officers, battlefields and aftermath, trenches, aviation, engineering projects, marches, camp-life, casualties, etc. In addition to the photographs, there are a few mounted pieces of ephemera including a map; a billet; a bandoleer card from UMC Bridgeport [CT] Works, with a manuscript note below explaining that this card was "carried to the front near Montfaucon, France Oct. 2nd, 1918"; Francs; and some contemporary newspaper clipping laid in at the rear. An uncommonly focused and extensive album of soldiers' life in France in the First World War.