Scarce Historical Photobook / Catalogue for a Chattanooga Photography Studio

[Spanish-American War]: [Tennessee]: [Georgia]:

The "Boys" in Camp Thomas. Chickamauga-Chattanooga National Military Park, Georgia [wrapper title].

Chattanooga, TN: Sidebottom & Kerr, 1898. [48]pp. Slim oblong octavo. Original orange-tan wrappers printed in black, stapled. Wrappers soiled, creased, and chipped, with contemporary ownership inscription on front wrapper. First and last leaves detached from text block, text block itself detached from wrappers. Good only. Item #13100

A scarce historical photobook that doubles as a catalogue for a Chattanooga photography studio at the outset of the Spanish-American War. Named after Union General George H. Thomas, Camp Thomas was a massive, temporary military training facility established at the Chickamauga Battlefield in Georgia during the Spanish-American War. The camp hosted up to 70,000 troops but became a national scandal after deadly disease outbreaks. The work features seventy total monotone photographs, from third-page to full-page, with brief printed captions and plate sizes, memorializing various scenes at Camp Thomas in 1898. The subjects of the photographs include military structures, scenes on the training ground, soldiers from various state units in small and large groups, soldiers hosting local visitors, the large corral of horses at the camp, monuments inside the camp / national park, views of the natural scenery, and more. According to explanatory text on the inside front wrapper, "the main idea is to show by photograph such scenes of every day occurrence; routine work, both on and off duty, as will give nearest a correct idea of what the life of a soldier in camp is made of, or as you would see him, were you on the grounds in person."

The rear wrapper reveals an additional motivation for the publication of the work in the form of instructions for ordering any of the photographs featured within. Such is the reasoning behind the plate sizes listed by each example. The Chattanooga studio, Sidebottom & Kerr, states that "Every Plate in this Book was made expressly for it, and having the negative, can furnish upon short notice, photograph of any plate." The company offers to send the catalogue free of charge to anyone east of the Rocky Mountains. A scarce and unusual photobook that does double duty as a Tennessee photographic studio's order book. OCLC reports just eight total institutional holdings.

Price: $650