Guide to the Bonfils and Sebah & Joaillier Studios Silver Gelatin Photographs Primarily of Architecture and Landscape Architecture in Israel, Palestine, and Istanbul, circa 1880s-circa 1890s SPEC.RARE.0328 Finding aid prepared by Casey Blackmore and David Mezick Ohio State University Libraries Special Collections
1858 Neil Avenue Columbus, OH, 43210
2024 December This finding aid was produced using the Archivists' Toolkit 2025-02-03T12:02-0500 English Describing Archives: A Content Standard Bonfils and Sebah & Joaillier Studios Silver Gelatin Photographs Primarily of Architecture and Landscape Architecture in Israel, Palestine, and Istanbul SPEC.RARE.0328 Ohio State University Libraries Special Collections 2.512 Cubic feet circa 1880s-circa 1890s Maison Bonfils was a photography studio based in Beirut, Lebanon that produced and sold photographs of the eastern Mediterranean region and was owned and operated by the Bonfils family from 1867 to 1918. Sebah & Joaillier was a photography studio based in Constantinople (officially renamed Istanbul in 1930) that produced and sold photographs of Constantinople and Egypt and was run by Jean Pascal Sébah and Polycarpe Joaillier starting in 1888. The Bonfils and Sebah & Joaillier Studios Silver Gelatin Photographs Primarily of Architecture and Landscape Architecture in Israel, Palestine, and Istanbul contain photographs produced by the photography studios Maison Bonfils and Sebah & Joaillier that portray cities and towns, landscapes, and various religious and historic sites of Palestine, Israel, and Istanbul. The photographs are dated circa 1880s to circa 1890s. (6) oversize flat boxes; (1) costume box French Maison Bonfils (Beirut, Lebanon) Sebah & Joaillier Arrangement of Materials

The collection is arranged into two series by the studio that produced the photographs:

Series 1: Bonfils Series 2: Sebah & Joaillier

 Acquisitions Information

Accession No. RARE.2024.0092: Purchased, 2021 August

 Preferred Citation

[identification of item], Bonfils and Sebah & Joaillier Studios Silver Gelatin Photographs Primarily of Architecture and Landscape Architecture in Israel, Palestine, and Istanbul, SPEC.RARE.0328, Rare Books and Manuscripts Library, Ohio State University

 Access to Materials

Materials in this collection are available for use, but may be used in the Thompson Library Special Collections reading room only.

 Use of Materials

Materials in this collection may be protected by copyright, and are made available for research and educational purposes. In general, the OSU Libraries do not own the copyright for materials from our collections and cannot grant copyright permissions for these materials. The user is responsible for making a final determination of copyright status. If copyright protection applies, permission must be obtained from the copyright holder to reuse, publish, or reproduce the work beyond the bounds of fair use or other exceptions to the law. Works in the public domain are not protected by copyright and do not require permission to use.

 Processing Information

Processed by: Casey Blackmore and David Mezick, 2024 December; Finding aid written by: Casey Blackmore and David Mezick, 2024 December

 Historical Note

Maison Bonfils was a photography studio based in Beirut, Lebanon that produced and sold photographs of the eastern Mediterranean region. In 1867, Félix Bonfils (1831–1885), his wife Marie-Lydie (1837–1918), and their son Adrien (1861-1929) moved from France to Beirut and opened the photography studio that became known as Maison Bonfils. The Bonfils family ran the studio until 1918. Maison Bonfils photographed Eastern Mediterranean architecture, monuments and landscapes, and took portraits. In 1876, the studio published its first catalog of photographs and would go on to sell tens of thousands of photographic prints, especially to western tourists.

Sebah & Joaillier was a photography studio based in Constantinople (officially renamed Istanbul in 1930) that produced and sold photographs of Constantinople and Egypt. Pascal Sébah was born in Constantinople in 1823 and opened a photography studio there in 1857. The studio continued to operate after his death in 1886, and was renamed Sebah & Joaillier in 1888, when Polycarpe Joaillier and Pascal's son, Jean Pascal Sébah, became involved. Sebah & Joaillier photographed people, landscapes, and architecture in Constantinople and Egypt, and mainly sold these photographs to western tourists.

 Scope and Contents

The Bonfils and Sebah & Joaillier Studios Silver Gelatin Photographs Primarily of Architecture and Landscape Architecture in Israel, Palestine, and Istanbul contain photographs produced by the photography studios Maison Bonfils and Sebah & Joaillier that portray cities and towns, landscapes, ruins, monuments, tombs, and other religious and historic sites of Palestine, Israel, and Istanbul. Also included is the case in which the photographs were stored. Locations named in the captions include Bethlehem, the Holy Sepulchre shrine, Jaffa, Jerusalem, the Mosque of Omar at the Dome of Rock, the Temple of Jupiter, the Tomb of David, Baalbek, Port of Saint Etienne, Tomb of the Kings and various other sites. Landscapes and natural resources are also featured in the images, such as the Jordan River, Princes’ Island, as well as archaeological sites. In some cases there are small figures visible among the landscapes, but these are the only individuals present in the images. The photographs are dated circa 1880s to circa 1890s.

The photograph numbers and titles of the photographs in the collection inventory were copied from the captions on the photographs themselves. Some photographs do not have numbers or titles or they are difficult to read. Text in brackets in the collection inventory was added by the archivists.

 Bonfils, Adrien, 1861-1929 Bonfils, Felix, 1831-1885 Bonfils, Marie-Lydie Joaillier, Polycarpe Maison Bonfils (Beirut, Lebanon) Sebah & Joaillier Sebah, Jean Pascal Architecture--Middle East--19th century Buildings--Middle East--19th century Gelatin silver prints Landscape architecture--Middle East--19th century Landscapes--Middle East--19th century Middle East--Pictorial works--19th century Monuments--Middle East--19th century Photographers--Middle East--19th century Religious architecture--Middle East--19th century Tombs--Middle East--19th century Travel photography--Middle East--19th century Bonfils Series 1 circa 1880s-circa 1890s Scope and Contents

The Bonfils series contains photographs produced by the photography studio Maison Bonfils that portray cities and towns, landscapes, ruins, monuments, tombs, and other religious and historic sites of Palestine and Israel. Also included is the case in which the photographs were stored. Locations named in the captions include Bethlehem, the Holy Sepulchre shrine, Jaffa, Jerusalem, the Mosque of Omar at the Dome of Rock, the Temple of Jupiter, the Tomb of David, Baalbek, Port of Saint Etienne, Tomb of the Kings and various other sites. Landscapes and natural resources are also featured in the images, such as the Jordan River. In some cases there are small figures visible among the landscapes, but these are the only individuals present in the images. The photographs are dated circa 1880s to circa 1890s.

 Arrangement of Materials

The Bonfils series is arranged in order by the photograph numbers assigned by the studio. Any photographs with duplicate numbers are arranged alphabetically by image title. Photographs with no identifiable number are arranged at the end of the series followed by the case in which the photographs were stored.

 11 Panorama de Jérusalem pris de l'Ouest No. 2 1 1 circa 1880s-circa 1890s Scope and Contents

Panorama of Jerusalem taken from the West No. 2

 17 Tour de David à Jérusalem 1 2 circa 1880s-circa 1890s Scope and Contents

Tower of David in Jerusalem

 19 Portes du Saint-Sépulcre 1 3 circa 1880s-circa 1890s Scope and Contents

Doors of the Holy Sepulchre

 20 Facade du Saint-Sépulcre 1 4 circa 1880s-circa 1890s Scope and Contents

Facade of the Holy Sepulchre

 21 Jérusalem 1 5 circa 1880s-circa 1890s Scope and Contents

Jerusalem

 22 Jérusalem. Intérieur de l'Eglise St Sauveur 1 6 circa 1880s-circa 1890s Scope and Contents

Jerusalem. Interior of St Sauveur Church

 23 Jérusalem. Intérieur de L'Ecce Homo 1 7 circa 1880s-circa 1890s Scope and Contents

Jerusalem. Interior of L’Ecce Homo

 26 Jérusalem. Jardin du roi-Rois XX-4, vallée de Gehenne, Palestine 1 8 circa 1880s-circa 1890s Scope and Contents

Jerusalem. King's Garden XX-4, Valley of Gehenna, Palestine

 34 Jérusalem. Sanctuaire dans l'Eglise Arménienne 1 9 circa 1880s-circa 1890s Scope and Contents

Jerusalem. Sanctuary in the Armenian Church

 46 Lieu de la tentation sur le mont de la quarantaine, Palestine 1 10 circa 1880s-circa 1890s Scope and Contents

Place of Temptation on Mount Quarantine, Palestine

 48 Route de Bethléem, prise depuis la porte de Jaffa, Jérusalem 1 11 circa 1880s-circa 1890s Scope and Contents

Road to Bethlehem, taken from Jaffa Gate, Jerusalem

 56 Le Jourdain, Bergers passant à gué leurs troupeaux 1 12 circa 1880s-circa 1890s Scope and Contents

The Jordan (River), Shepherds fording their flocks

 56 Vue générale de Bethlehem et de l'Eglise de la Nativité 1 13 circa 1880s-circa 1890s Scope and Contents

General view of Bethlehem and the Church of the Nativity

 70 Halte des voyageurs sur les bord du Jourdain 2 1 circa 1880s-circa 1890s Scope and Contents

Stopover for travelers on the banks of the Jordan

 71 Cours du Jourdain 2 2 circa 1880s-circa 1890s Scope and Contents

Course of the Jordan

 72 Courbe et cours du Jourdain 2 3 circa 1880s-circa 1890s Scope and Contents

Curve and course of the Jordan

 73 Cours et gue du Jourdain 2 4 circa 1880s-circa 1890s Scope and Contents

Course and ford of the Jordan (River)

 87 Port de David, Jérusalem 2 5 circa 1880s-circa 1890s Scope and Contents

Port of David, Jerusalem

 184 Tombeau de Saint-Jacques et Zacharie 2 6 circa 1880s-circa 1890s Scope and Contents

Tomb of Saint James and Zachariah

 237 Vue de Jaffa, pris des jardins, Palestine 2 7 circa 1880s-circa 1890s Scope and Contents

View of Jaffa, taken from the gardens, Palestine

 238 Baalbek 2 8 circa 1880s-circa 1890s Scope and Contents

Baalbek

 238 Vue panoramique de Baalbek no.1 2 9 circa 1880s-circa 1890s Scope and Contents

Panoramic view of Baalbek no.1

 239 Bazaar de Jaffa 2 10 circa 1880s-circa 1890s Scope and Contents

Jaffa Bazaar

 242 Tour 40 martyrs, Rameleh 2 11 circa 1880s-circa 1890s Scope and Contents

40 Martyrs Tower, Rameleh

 244 Port de Jaffa, Jérusalem 2 12 circa 1880s-circa 1890s Scope and Contents

Jaffa Port, Jerusalem

 248 Pierre de l'onction, Jérusalem 2 13 circa 1880s-circa 1890s Scope and Contents

Stone of Anointing, Jerusalem

 252 Arc de l'Ecce Homo, Jérusalem, Palestine 2 14 circa 1880s-circa 1890s Scope and Contents

Arch of Ecce Homo, Jerusalem, Palestine

 256 Église Eglise Ste Anne 3 1 circa 1880s-circa 1890s Scope and Contents

Saint Anne Church

 257 Jérusalem. Tour Antonia, Palestine 3 2 circa 1880s-circa 1890s Scope and Contents

Jerusalem. Antonia Tower, Palestine

 258 Jérusalem, Piscine probatique ou de Bethesda 3 3 circa 1880s-circa 1890s Scope and Contents

Jerusalem, Probatic Pool or Bethesda

 259 Allée menant au palais d'Hérode 3 4 circa 1880s-circa 1890s Scope and Contents

Alley leading to Herod's palace

 263 Maison du méchant riche, IV Station 3 5 circa 1880s-circa 1890s Scope and Contents

House of the Wicked Rich, IV Station

 269 Jérusalem. Le Calvaire, intérieur 3 6 circa 1880s-circa 1890s Scope and Contents

Jerusalem. Calvary, interior

 270 [Jérusalem. Le Calvaire, l’autel grec.] 3 7 circa 1880s-circa 1890s Scope and Contents

Jerusalem. Calvary, the Greek altar.

 273 Port de Saint Etienne, Jérusalem 3 8 circa 1880s-circa 1890s Scope and Contents

Port of Saint Etienne, Jerusalem

 274 Jerusalem Dômes du Saint-Sépulcre 3 9 circa 1880s-circa 1890s Scope and Contents

Domes of the Holy Sepulcher

 275 Jérusalem. Porte dorée 3 10 circa 1880s-circa 1890s Scope and Contents

Jerusalem. Golden Gate

 278 Mosquée d'Omar et Cour de David 3 11 circa 1880s-circa 1890s Scope and Contents

Mosque of Omar and Court of David

 279 Jérusalem. Mosquée d'Omar, intérieur 3 12 circa 1880s-circa 1890s Scope and Contents

Jerusalem. Omar Mosque, interior

 283 Jérusalem. Mosquée el-Aksa, intérieur 3 13 circa 1880s-circa 1890s Scope and Contents

Jerusalem. El-Aksa Mosque, interior

 284 Jérusalem. Mosquée d'Omar avec bassine, Palestine 4 1 circa 1880s-circa 1890s Scope and Contents

Jerusalem. Mosque of Omar with basin, Palestine

 287 Porte de Damas a Jérusalem 4 2 circa 1880s-circa 1890s Scope and Contents

Damascus Gate in Jerusalem

 288 Jérusalem. Tombeau de David sur le Mont Sion 4 3 circa 1880s-circa 1890s Scope and Contents

Jerusalem. Tomb of David on Mount Zion

 291 Porte de David, Jérusalem 4 4 circa 1880s-circa 1890s Scope and Contents

David's Gate, Jerusalem

 299 Baalbek 4 5 circa 1880s-circa 1890s Scope and Contents

Baalbek

 303 Le jardin de Gethsémani 4 6 circa 1880s-circa 1890s Scope and Contents

The Garden of Gethsemane

 304 Jardin de Gethsemanie, Jérusalem 4 7 circa 1880s-circa 1890s Scope and Contents

Garden of Gethsemane, Jerusalem

 305 Olivier du jardin du Gethsemanie, Jérusalem 4 8 circa 1880s-circa 1890s Scope and Contents

Olive tree from the garden of Gethsemane, Jerusalem

 308 Jérusalem, Grotte de l'Agonie 4 9 circa 1880s-circa 1890s Scope and Contents

Jerusalem, Cave of Agony

 314 Tombeau de la Vierge et grotte de l'agonie 4 10 circa 1880s-circa 1890s Scope and Contents

Tomb of the Virgin and Cave of Agony

 314 Tombeau de la Vierge, grotte de l'agonie, Palestine 4 11 circa 1880s-circa 1890s Scope and Contents

Tomb of the Virgin, Cave of Agony, Palestine

 315 Village de Siloé, Palestine 4 12 circa 1880s-circa 1890s Scope and Contents

Village of Siloam, Palestine

 317 Vue de la vallée de Hinnom près de Jérusalem 4 13 circa 1880s-circa 1890s Scope and Contents

View of the Hinnom Valley near Jerusalem

 318 Champ de Haceldama 5 1 circa 1880s-circa 1890s Scope and Contents

Haceldama (Akeldama) Field

 324 Tombeau d'Absolom, Palestine 5 2 circa 1880s-circa 1890s Scope and Contents

Tomb of Absolom, Palestine

 330 No visible caption on photograph 5 3 circa 1880s-circa 1890s 332 Bethléem No. 2 5 4 circa 1880s-circa 1890s Scope and Contents

Bethlehem No. 2

 333 Bethléem. Eglise de Nativité, colonnade 5 5 circa 1880s-circa 1890s Scope and Contents

Bethlehem. Church of Nativity, Colonnade

 344 Montagne de quarantaine, Palestine 5 6 circa 1880s-circa 1890s Scope and Contents

Mount Quarantine, Palestine

 440 Temple de Jupiter, Baalbek 5 7 circa 1880s-circa 1890s Scope and Contents

Temple of Jupiter, Baalbek

 444 Temple de Jupiter, Balbek 5 8 circa 1880s-circa 1890s Scope and Contents

Temple of Jupiter, Balbek

 446 Balbek, Colonne inclinée 5 9 circa 1880s-circa 1890s Scope and Contents

Balbek, Inclined column

 453 Balbek. Colonnes Canelées du Proanos du Temple de Jupiter 5 10 circa 1880s-circa 1890s Scope and Contents

Balbeck. Fluted Columns of the Proanos of the Temple of Jupiter

 [No number] Tombeau des Rois, cour intérieure, Jérusalem 5 11 circa 1880s-circa 1890s Scope and Contents

Tomb of the Kings, inner courtyard, Jerusalem

 Orient-Reise case 7 1 circa 1880s-1890s Sebah & Joaillier Series 2 1888-circa 1890s Scope and Contents

The Sebah & Joaillier series contains photographs produced by the photography studio Sebah & Joaillier that portray cities and towns, landscapes, ruins, monuments, tombs, and other religious and historic sites of Istanbul. Landscapes and natural resources are also featured in the images, such as Princes’ Island. In some cases there are small figures visible among the landscapes, but these are the only individuals present in the images. The photographs are dated 1888 to circa 1890s.

 Arrangement of Materials

The Sebah & Joaillier series is arranged in order by the photograph numbers assigned by the studio. Photographs with no identifiable number are arranged at the end of the series in alphabetical order by title.

 17 Devant l'Île des Princes 5 12 1888-circa 1890s Scope and Contents

In front of Princes' Island

 34 Vue panoramique de Constantinople et de la Corne d'Or 5 13 1888-circa 1890s Scope and Contents

Panoramic view of Constantinople and the Golden Horn

 61 Vue de Galata prise depuis Istanbul 6 1 1888-circa 1890s Scope and Contents

View of Galata taken from Istanbul

 95 Mosquée Sainte-Sophie 6 2 1888-circa 1890s Scope and Contents

Hagia Sophia Mosque

 121 L'entrée de la mosquée Ste. Sophie 6 3 1888-circa 1890s Scope and Contents

The entrance to the mosque of Saint Sophie

 276 Quartier turc 6 4 1888-circa 1890s Scope and Contents

Turkish Quarter

 345 Mosquée Valide et Palais Impérial a Dolma-Bagtché au Bosphore 6 5 1888-circa 1890s Scope and Contents

Valide Mosque and Imperial Palace in Dolma-Bagtché at the Bosphorus

 365 Vue à depuis Arnavutköy 6 6 1888-circa 1890s Scope and Contents

View from Arnavutköy

 373 Vue prise depuis les châteaux d'Europe 6 7 1888-circa 1890s Scope and Contents

View taken from the castles of Europe

 374 Châteaux d'Europe et vue du Bosphore 6 8 1888-circa 1890s Scope and Contents

Castles of Europe and view of the Bosphorus

 375 Maisons turques à Roumeli-Hissar au Bosphore 6 9 1888-circa 1890s Scope and Contents

Turkish houses in Roumeli-Hissar (Rumeli Fortress) at the Bosphorus

 385 Vue de Bosphore prise des châteaux d'Europe 6 10 1888-circa 1890s Scope and Contents

View of Bosphorus taken from the Castles of Europe

 [No number, Fontaine Ahmed et Sublime Porte] 6 11 1888-circa 1890s Scope and Contents

Fontaine Ahmed and Sublime Porte

 [No number, Sabil of Ahmed III] 6 12 1888-circa 1890s Scope and Contents

Fountain of Ahmed III

 [No number, Valide Mosque and the Bosphorous, Istanbul] 6 13 1888-circa 1890s