[MIDDLE EAST / CONSTANTINOPLE] Original stereoscope and a gelatin silver photograph of Constantinople in 1905.
NEUE PHOTOGRAPHISCHE GESELLSCHAFT A. G., STEGLITZ-BERLIN, (1894-1948), Constantinople-Berlin, 1905.
Original two photos (stereoscope and gelatin silver prints). 9x18 cm, 19x25 cm.
Rare two photographs of early 20th century Constantinople, "Cimetiere Turc" and "Une Rue a Stamboul" [i.e. Eyup Cemetery and a street (probably from Kandilli)], taken and printed by "Verlag der Neuen Photogr. Gesellschaft A. G., Steglitz-Berlin in 1905.
The Neue Photographische Gesellschaft (NPG) was the first and for many years the biggest factory for real photographic bromide printing and the production of real photograph postcards. Arthur Schwarz (1862–1944) founded the company in 1894 in Berlin-Schöneberg, and there were later subsidiary companies in various cities including London, New York, Paris, Vienna, Brussels, and Milan. The company closed in 1921, although the NPG trademark and the postcard department were acquired by E. A. Schwerdtfeger, located first in Berlin and then in Dresden. That business closed with the outbreak of the Second World War. About 1906, the NPG was one of the postcard manufacturers that formed the Verein Photographischer Reproduktions-Anstalten GmbH (P.R.A.) (Association of Institutions of Photographic Reproductions) with headquarters in Berlin and directed by Arthur Schwartz. By 1907, the P.R.A. represented thirteen German and four Austrian publishing companies with the aim to have guaranteed minimum prices and fixed terms and conditions to avoid ruinous competition.