A Photographic Tour of 19th Century Cambridge University

Jan. 19, 2012 - PRLog -- An online historical photographic tour of 19th century University of Cambridge, presented by New Boston Fine and Rare Books, is now on display. Visitors can view and enlarge 58 images of the University's schools, buildings, and grounds as they were in the mid to late-1800s. Enlarged images reveal detail of architectural elements, bridges, a carriage, stained glass windows, a leather bound library, people, and more.

The images in this display were photographed from an original bound album of Cambridge University albumen prints that were taken for William Winfield, circa 1870. Kimberly Blaker, owner and president of New Boston Fine and Rare Books, recently acquired the collection at auction.

Blaker felt that this early collection of photographs from one of the world's most prestigious universities deserved to be preserved and shared. She felt particularly compelled when to her surprise, she could find no other collection of historical photographs of the University online.

Blaker explains: “My business may be selling books, but I have great appreciation for the intrinsic value of books. They can take us back in time and place and expand our knowledge and understanding of the world, not just as it is today, but how it was yesterday, and what we may expect in the future.”

Based on the QS World University Rankings, the University of Cambridge is ranked number one of the world's top 400 best universities, says USNews.com. And Cambridge, according to Wikipedia, "is the second oldest university in the English-speaking world" and "the seventh oldest globally." This, combined with the University's magnificent architecture, both interior and exterior, makes this group of photos a fascinating study. It is a very rare collection.

Most of the photographs in the permanent online photographic tour have already been identified and labeled. Blaker intends to identify and label the remainder of the colleges, buildings, and landscapes in the photographs with the assistance of site visitors.

To view the collection, visit www.NewBostonFineandRareBooks.com and go to the “Spotlight” tab.

Or go to http://www.newbostonfineandrarebooks.com/?page=shop/disp&...

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New Boston Fine and Rare Books specializes in fine, rare, and collectible books, photographs, and art with special focus in: First Editions; vintage and antiquarian; modern and antiquarian leather bound; decorative bindings; illustrated books; and more.