IRON, BRICK & MEMORY

Lanneau’s Art Store / The Albertype Co.

Old Charleston Gateways [Charleston Photogravues]

Charleston, South Carolina/Brooklyn, New York: Lanneau’s Art Store/he Albertype Co., c1930.

ALBERTYPE VIEWS OF CHARLESTON’S HISTORIC GATEWAYS AND ARCHITECTURAL DETAILS
An early twentieth-century Charleston architectural souvenir preserving a carefully selected series of photographic views of historic gateways, doorways, and entrances associated with the city’s colonial and antebellum streetscape. Rather than presenting Charleston as a broad tourist panorama, this small-format viewbook focuses on architectural details — ironwork, brick walls, garden entrances, and private approaches — that reveal the distinctive character of the historic city.

Published by Lanneau’s Art Store of Charleston and produced by The Albertype Company of Brooklyn, the booklet reflects the growing appreciation of Charleston’s architectural heritage during the early preservation movement of the twentieth century. The combination of local publication, photographic documentation, and Albertype production places the work within the tradition of regional photographic souvenirs created for visitors interested in the history and visual character of American cities.

The twelve captioned photographic views capture individual gateways and entrances, including examples on Legare Street, Church Street, and South Battery, illustrating the wrought iron details, masonry walls, and garden settings that became defining features of Charleston’s architectural identity.

PHYSICAL DESCRIPTION: Oblong booklet measuring approximately 8.25 by 6.25 inches. Original stiff paper wrappers decorated with a color photographic paste-on illustration depicting a Charleston gateway. Contains six leaves with twelve captioned photographic reproductions printed on individual mounts approximately 6 by 4.25 inches.

CONDITION: Very Good. The binding is tight and square. Text and photographic images are clean with light, even age-toning. Moderate shelf handling wear. Minor loss at the upper front corner of the wrappers. Some soiling to the rear cover. The photographic leaves remain intact with good contrast.

SCARCITY NOTE: WorldCat/OCLC records indicate institutional holdings, although cataloging varies by institution and date assignment. Copies are present in collections, but the title appears infrequently in current trade listings. Complete copies in attractive condition are less frequently encountered in the marketplace.

CULTURAL SIGNIFICANCE: PRESERVING CHARLESTON’S ARCHITECTURAL MEMORY—A CITY DEFINED BY DETAILS
Published during the period when Charleston’s historic architecture was increasingly recognized as a distinctive element of American cultural heritage, this viewbook preserves the smaller architectural features that often disappear from broader city histories. The focus on gates, entrances, and ironwork reflects an appreciation for craftsmanship and domestic architecture rather than only landmark buildings.

THE ALBERTYPE TRADITION
The Albertype Company was one of the leading American producers of photographic viewbooks and souvenir albums during the late nineteenth and early twentieth centuries. Its finely detailed photographic reproductions became widely used for documenting cities, landscapes, and historic sites throughout the United States.

This booklet represents the intersection of local Charleston publishing and nationally distributed photographic production, creating a compact visual record of the city before later preservation efforts transformed many historic neighborhoods.

CONTENT HIGHLIGHTS
+++ Twelve captioned photographic views documenting Charleston gateways, entrances, and architectural details
+++ Images include historic locations on Legare Street, Church Street, and South Battery
+++ Focuses on wrought ironwork, brick walls, gardens, and residential architecture
+++ Produced by The Albertype Company, a major American photographic printing firm
+++ Represents early twentieth-century interest in Charleston architectural preservation

SUBJECTS: Charleston South Carolina, historic architecture, gateways, ironwork, antebellum buildings, photographic viewbooks, Albertype Company, American architectural preservation, Photography, Regional History, Southern Americana, Travel Literature.

Item #22300

Price: $85.00