Albumin print, troop transport Colombo, Port Said, Egypt, Hippolyte Arnoux, 1882

This historical photograph shows a historically significant view of the steam-powered ship Colombo in the harbor of Port Said in Egypt, 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. At the center of the composition lies the imposing French steamer Colombo, which was launched in 1882, has a length of 119 m, a width of 12,1 m, as well as an unladen weight of 2000 t, and reached a speed of 12 knots with 1800 hp. The ship, which featured over 172 passenger cabins, historically served mainly for troop transport to Indochina and is documented here afloat in the harbor basin. In the foreground, two smaller boats liven up the scenery, including a boat with 3 men waving their hats.

The authorship is undisputedly attributed to the renowned French photographer Hippolyte Arnoux due to the original signature in the negative, who is considered one of the most important chroniclers of the construction work and early ship traffic on the Suez Canal. This print was produced in the 1880s directly after the commissioning of the ship. From a historical perspective, this original albumin photo is of high value as it precisely preserves the maritime military and colonial history of the late 19th century at this strategic hub.

The historical collector's item is available as a loose sheet and features the dimensions of 26,5 x 21,3 cm. Good age-appropriate condition with slight toning, small light creases at the edges and corners, while the outer edges are a tiny bit frayed in some places, and the back features a faint, illegible ink offset from an old document. The bottom margin features the original white handwritten caption within the photo negative: "N: 135 COLOMBO H. ARNOUX Port Said."