صورة كاتب الشريف الأكبر

Content
Genre/Subject Matter:

This full-length seated portrait of a bearded man shows a scribe of the Grand Sharīf, who indicates his profession by posing with a piece of paper in his left hand while dipping his pen in inkwith his right.

He wears a plain, dark-coloured outer robe fastened at his waist with a pale-coloured turban on his head. To his right a three-legged, octagonal table carries a rectangular tray of pots. The surface of the table may be inlaid.

The negative has had hand-work applied, causing it to take on a soft-shaded quality in places. In particular, the man’s feet have been over-drawn due to overexposure at the lower edge of the photograph.

Inscriptions:

Printed above image, in ink:

XIII

Printed beneath image, in ink:

'Kātib (Schreiber) des Grossscherifs'

A circular 'British Museum' blind stamp is located in the lower right corner.

Extent and format
1 collotype print
Physical characteristics
Dimensions:

130 x 97 mm

Format:

1 collotype print

Condition:

The print is in good condition.

Foliation:

‘XIII’

Written in
German in Latin script

صورة طبيب في مكة، الراجح أنه الطبيب المصور السيد عبد الغفار الذي شارك كِرِسْتِيَانْ سنُوُك هِرْخُرُونْيَهْ في عمليات تصوير

Content
Genre/Subject Matter:

This full-length seated portrait of a bearded man shows a Meccan doctor, likely the photographer al-Sayyid ʻAbd al-Ghaffār, who collaborated with the photographer Christiaan Snouck Hurgronje.

He wears a plain, dark-coloured outer robe over a white buttoned undershirt and white cummerbund, with a pale-coloured turban on his head. In his right hand the doctor grips the handle of a dark-coloured umbrella or parasol. On his feet he wears knotted leather sandals.

The negative does not appear to have had hand-work applied, except for the background, which may have been substituted.

Inscriptions:

Printed above image, in ink:

XIV

Printed beneath image, in ink:

‘Mekkanischer Arzt.’

A circular 'British Museum' blind stamp is located in the lower right corner.

Extent and format
1 collotype print
Physical characteristics
Dimensions:

132 x 972 mm

Format:

1 collotype print

Condition:

The print is in good condition.

Foliation:

‘XIV’

Written in
German in Latin script

صورة ابن الطبيب

Content
Genre/Subject Matter:

This full-length seated portrait of a young man shows the son of the doctor shown in 1781.b.6/20, likely the photographer al-Sayyid ʻAbd al-Ghaffār, who collaborated with the photographer Christiaan Snouck Hurgronje.

He wears a plain, dark-coloured outer robe over a patterned jalabiya, with a pale-coloured turban on his head. In his right hand the man grips the handle of a light-coloured umbrella or parasol. On his feet he wears shoes featuring an ornate buckle.

The negative has had hand-work applied, causing it to take on a soft-shaded quality in places. In particular, the man’s feet have been over-drawn due to overexposure at the lower left corner of the photograph.

Inscriptions:

Printed above image, in ink:

XIV

Printed beneath image, in ink:

‘Sohn des Arztes.’

A circular 'British Museum' blind stamp is located in the lower right corner.

Extent and format
1 collotype print
Physical characteristics
Dimensions:

132 x 972 mm

Format:

1 collotype print

Condition:

The print is in good condition.

Foliation:

‘XIV’

Written in
German in Latin script

صورة غلامين من بني شيبة

Content
Genre/Subject Matter:

This full length standing portrait shows two young sons of the Banī Shaybah family, gatekeepers of the Caaba.

The two boys stand side-by-side in matching light-coloured outer robes, which are embroidered at the lapels; under their outer robes each of the boys wears a patterned jalabiya . These garments appear to be cut from the same cloth, except that the pattern is inverted.

The boy on the left wears a pale-coloured turban but the boy on the right wears a keffiyeh held in place by an agal.

The negative has had hand-work applied, causing it to take on a soft-shaded quality in places. In particular, the background appears to have been substituted.

Inscriptions:

Printed above image, in ink:

XIV

Printed beneath image, in ink:

'Kinder aus der Familie der Benī Schēbah (Thorhüter der Ka’bah).'

A circular 'British Museum' blind stamp is located in the lower right corner.

Extent and format
1 collotype print
Physical characteristics
Dimensions:

131 x 93 mm

Format:

1 collotype print

Condition:

The print is in good condition.

Foliation:

‘XIV’

Written in
German in Latin script

صورة سيد التقطت في مكة

Content
Genre/Subject Matter:

This full length seated portrait of a bearded man shows a sayyid in Mecca.

The man is seated on an upholstered seat with bolster cushions on either side of him. These are covered in a patterned fabric featuring roses, pomegranates and other botanical motifs. See also 1781.b.6/24

The man wears an outer robe and white turban with a dark-coloured cap.

The negative has had hand-work applied, causing it to take on a soft-shaded quality in places. In particular, the background appears to have been substituted, aside from the carpet on which the man is seated.

Inscriptions:

Printed above image, in ink:

XIV

Printed beneath image, in ink:

'Sèjjid in Mekka.'

A circular 'British Museum' blind stamp is located in the lower right corner.

Extent and format
1 collotype print
Physical characteristics
Dimensions:

131 x 91 mm

Format:

1 collotype print

Condition:

The print is in good condition.

Foliation:

‘XIV’

Written in
German in Latin script

صورة رجل مكي

Content
Genre/Subject Matter:

This full length seated portrait, facing forward and looking towards the camera, shows a bearded man, described simply as 'a Meccan'.

The man is seated on an upholstered seat with bolster cushions on either side of him. These are covered in a patterned fabric featuring roses, pomegranates and other botanical motifs. See also 1781.b.6/23

The man wears a dark-coloured outer robe, star-patterned jalabiya underneath it and a white turban with a dark-coloured cap. On both hands he wears rings and ornately-buckled shoes.

The negative has had hand-work applied, causing it to take on a soft-shaded quality in places. In particular, the background appears to have been substituted, aside from the carpet on which the man is seated.

Extent and format
1 collotype print
Physical characteristics
Dimensions:

127 x 90 mm

Format:

1 collotype print

Condition:

The print is in good condition.

Foliation:

‘XV’

Written in
German in Latin script

صورة تاجرين من مكة وجدة

Content
Genre/Subject Matter:

This full length seated portrait of two men shows two traders, from Mecca and Jeddah. Both face forward, looking towards the camera.

The man on the left wears a medium-tone outer robe over a striped robe with a white turban. The man on the right wears a white outer robe over a buttoned inner jacket and a white turban.

The two men are seated in what appears to be a courtyard space, with plants visible behind them.

The negative has had hand-work applied, causing it to take on a soft-shaded quality in places. In particular, the part of the face of the man on the right that is shaded has been reinscribed.

Inscriptions:

Printed above image, in ink:

XV

Printed beneath image, in ink:

'Kaufleute (Mekka und Djiddah)'.

A circular 'British Museum' blind stamp is located in the lower right corner.

Extent and format
1 collotype print
Physical characteristics
Dimensions:

128 x 90 mm

Format:

1 collotype print

Condition:

The print is in good condition.

Foliation:

‘XV’

Written in
German in Latin script

علي ريجيس، من المؤذنين، يُفترض أنه من نسل عبد الله ابن الزبير

Content
Genre/Subject Matter:

This full length seated portrait shows Ali Rèjjis, described as a member of the dynasty of most senior muezzinīn (public criers who proclaim the hours of prayer from a minaret or roof of a mosque), supposed descendants of ʿAbd Allāh b. al-Zubayr, the first Muslim born at Medina after the hijra. He faces forward, looking towards the photographer.

The man wears a dark-coloured outer robe over a check-patterned robe (see also 1781.b.6/27) and white turban on his head. On the little finger of his right hand he wears a ring and on his feet, polished leather shoes.

The negative has had hand-work applied, causing it to take on a soft-shaded quality in places. In particular, the original background has been substituted completely.

Inscriptions:

Printed above image, in ink:

XV

Printed beneath image, in ink:

Ali Rèjjis (aus einem Geschlechte von Obersten der Mu’èddinin, welches von Abdallah ibn Zubair herstammen soll).

A circular 'British Museum' blind stamp is located in the lower right corner.

Extent and format
1 collotype print
Physical characteristics
Dimensions:

128 x 90 mm

Format:

1 collotype print

Condition:

The print is in good condition.

Foliation:

‘XV’

Written in
German in Latin script

صورة مؤذن

Content
Genre/Subject Matter:

This full length seated portrait shows a muezzin, a public crier who proclaims the hours of prayer from a minaret or roof of a mosque. He faces to his right and looks forward.

The man wears a dark-coloured outer robe over a patterned robe identical to that worn by Ali Rèjjis in 1781.b.6/26 as well as a white turban with a dark-coloured cap, a ring on the little finger of his right hand and polished leather shoes.

The negative has had hand-work applied, causing it to take on a soft-shaded quality in places. In particular, the area around the man’s feet and lower robes has been entirely reinscribed.

Inscriptions:

Printed above image, in ink:

XV

Printed beneath image, in ink:

'Mu’èddin (Aufrufer zum Gottesdienste).’

A circular 'British Museum' blind stamp is located in the lower right corner.

Extent and format
1 collotype print
Physical characteristics
Dimensions:

128 x 90 mm

Format:

1 collotype print

Condition:

The print is in good condition.

Foliation:

‘XV’

Written in
German in Latin script

صورة رجلين من الشرفاء (من أهل بيت النبي صلى الله عليه وسلم)

Content
Genre/Subject Matter:

This full length seated portrait shows two men, described in the title as ‘members of various shereef families,' i.e. descendants of Muhammad via his daughter Fatima. They face slightly to the left, looking forward.

The man on the right wears a dark-coloured robe, a pale-coloured, tasselled keffiyeh held in place by a dark-coloured agal and sandals. At his waist a janbiya can be seen emerging from his robes and he wears a ring on his little finger.

The man on the left wears a pale-coloured outer-robe that is heavily embellished, perhaps embroidered, along the lapels over a white robe. On his head he wears a white turban with a dark-coloured cap. He wears polished leather shoes and he, too, wears a janbiya, which emerges from under his robe at the waist.

The negative has had hand-work applied, causing it to take on a soft-shaded quality in places. In particular, the background has been substituted, though the mat on which they are seated remains.

Inscriptions:

Printed above image, in ink:

XVI

A circular 'British Museum' blind stamp is located in the lower right corner.

Extent and format
1 collotype print
Physical characteristics
Dimensions:

127 x 95 mm

Format:

1 collotype print

Condition:

The print is in good condition.

Foliation:

‘XVI’

Written in
German in Latin script