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THE ANDRÉE POLAR EXPEDITION 1897 - UNIQUE ALBUM WITH PHOTOGRAPHS BY AXEL STAKE.

Album with 59 original photographs, mainly by Axel Stake, from the preparations of the Andrée Polar Expedition to the North Pole 1897 with the balloon "Örnen" (The Eagle). The photographs show the departure of "Svensksund" from Gothenburg, some pictures from the life on board and the trip to Svalbard (Dagön), work on the equipment for the balloon expedition, the raising of the balloon-house, the completation of the balloon, and the departure.
The photographs are generally in very good condition. Size mostly about 110x155 mm., the three last ones are 78x103 mm. The 3 last photographs probably taken by G. V. E. Swedenborg, also a a few others taken by photographers other than Stake.

All photographs are housed in a contemporary magnificient dark red full morocco binding with metal clasps and fittings in black with gilt ornamentation, all edges gilt, on upper cover a steel-engraved plate made by Bernhard August Beskow. The plate with gilt frames of flowers and geometrical figures, on the middle an engraving of the ship Svensksund at the departure from Gothenburg May 18th 1897, the ship surrounded by gilt flower ornaments, under a gilt and coloured Swedish-Norvegian marine flag in the hands of a mermaid, and another mermaid with a flag with an anchor symbol, at bottom an illustration with a chemical apparatus, over an armorial weapon in gold and colours. Text in upper part: "Andrées polarexpedition 1897" and in lower part "Till ingenör Axel Stake tillgifnast af C. & H. Hasselblad". The etching of the plate was made by Bernhard August Beskow. Housed in a modern cloth case.

Size of the album binding c. 405x270 mm.

Loosely inserted a partly typed and partly handwritten certificate in folio, laid down on linen, describing the work Stake has undertaken during the expeditions 1896-1897, both signed by Andrée, also the handwritten part by Andrée, dated 18 of February 1897 and 11th of July 1897. Some spotting and discolouration.

This album belonged to the chemical engineer Axel Stake (1868-1901), who designed and managed the hydrogen machine that was used to fill the balloon "Örnen". He was also attached to the 1896 expedition and the preliminary undertakings for the expedition.

The original photographs were taken by Stake with equipment from the Hasselblad photographic firm. He writes in his diary for May 5th 1897: "Vaknade vid 9-tiden på morgonen och gaf mig iväg till Svensksund. Som inget fanns att göra där, gaf jag mig iväg till staden igen. Jag gick in till Hasselblad & Co för att skaffa mig plåtar till min kamera. Jag blef där erbjuden att låna kamera och dessutom få så många plåtar jag ville, om sedan plåtarna fingo bli deras egendom. Anbudet antogs naturligtvis genast af mig..." .
After the homecoming, the Hasselblad photographic firm developed the plates and had this album made especially for Stake. Hasselblad also retained the legal right to the photographs, and many has also been published.

In his unpublished diary Stake writes about the departure of the balloon on July 7th 1897, with comments on the sometimes unnecessary equipment and food on board, and on the visible problems at the departure.

Bernhard August Beskow (1837-1910), Swedish steel decorator and engraver. He is represented in many museums and collections, for example Nationalmuseum in Stockholm, Gothenburg Museum and the Columbia Museum in Chicago.

Provenance: Axel Stake (1868-1901), and by inheritance within the family to the present owner.

Auktionsnummer:

6409

Datum:

2016-12-20