Albumin print, Port Said harbor, Egypt Suez Canal, early phase circa 1875

This historical photograph shows a rare view of the harbor of Port Said in Egypt at the entrance to the Suez Canal, taken as an original albumin print. The albumin process used was the dominant photochemical technique of that era, in which egg white was used to bind the light-sensitive silver salts to the paper, giving the photographs their characteristic warm sepia tone, a soft glossy surface, and high detail sharpness. The photograph documents the very early development phase of the port city, which is evidenced by the sparse wooden and barrack buildings along the shore, still under construction, as well as extensive unpaved sand areas. In the foreground, a large historical steamship lies at anchor, while traditional Egyptian sailing boats are documented in the harbor basin.

In research, such early topographic photographs from the pioneering days of the Suez Canal are attributed to renowned chroniclers of the region, such as the Zangaki Brothers or Hippolyte Arnoux. This print was produced in the second half of the 19th century, during the formative founding phase of the canal infrastructure. From a historical perspective, these original albumin photos are of high value as they preserve the barren origins of Port Said prior to the later onset of the major colonial building boom as an authentic visual primary document.

The historical collector's item is available as a loose sheet and features the original dimensions of 28,5 x 22,5 cm; good age-appropriate condition with slight toning; partially slightly yellowed margins as well as small light creases, and somewhat bumped at the edges and corners.