Abstract: 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:XIVPrinted 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.Physical description: Dimensions:131 x 93 mmFormat:1 collotype printCondition:The print is in good condition.Foliation:‘XIV’
Abstract: 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:XVIA circular 'British Museum' blind stamp is located in the lower right corner.Physical description: Dimensions:127 x 95 mmFormat:1 collotype printCondition:The print is in good condition.Foliation:‘XVI’
Abstract: Genre/Subject Matter:This full length portrait shows a man, described as a ‘member of a shereef family’, i.e. a descendant of Muhammad via his daughter Fatima. He faces forward, looking toward the camera.The man wears a mid-coloured outer-robe over a pale-coloured robe with a large janbiya held at his waist with a dark-coloured sash. His mid-coloured keffiyeh is 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 has been substituted completely and the pattern in the carpet on which he stands has been reinscribed.Inscriptions:Printed above image, in ink:XVIA circular 'British Museum' blind stamp is located in the lower right corner.Physical description: Dimensions:128 x 95 mmFormat:1 collotype printCondition:The print is in good condition.Foliation:‘XVI’
Abstract: Genre/Subject Matter:This full length seated portrait shows a man, described as a ‘member of a shereef family’, i.e. a descendant of Muhammad via his daughter Fatima. He faces slightly left and looks forward.The man wears a dark-coloured outer-robe over a pale-coloured robe, open at the neck. A large janbiya is held at his waist. His keffiyeh is held in place by a dark-coloured agal.Inscriptions:Printed above image, in ink:XVIA circular 'British Museum' blind stamp is located in the lower right corner.Physical description: Dimensions:127 x 96 mmFormat:1 collotype printCondition:The print is in good condition.Foliation:‘XVI’
Abstract: Genre/Subject Matter:This full length portrait shows two men, described as ‘members of various shereef families,' i.e. a descendant of Muhammad via his daughter Fatima.They face slightly left, looking forward.Both men wear dark-coloured outer-robes over a pale-coloured robes, open at the neck. Each wears a large janbiya held at his waist with a dark-coloured sash. On their heads they wear pale-coloured turbans and they each hold the handle of an umbrella or parasol in their right hands: that of the man on the right is pale-coloured while that of the man on the left is dark-coloured.Inscriptions:Printed above image, in ink:XVIA circular 'British Museum' blind stamp is located in the lower right corner.Physical description: Dimensions:127 x 96 mmFormat:1 collotype printCondition:The print is in good condition.Foliation:‘XVI’
Abstract: 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:XIVPrinted beneath image, in ink:‘Sohn des Arztes.’A circular 'British Museum' blind stamp is located in the lower right corner.Physical description: Dimensions:132 x 972 mmFormat:1 collotype printCondition:The print is in good condition.Foliation:‘XIV’
Abstract: Genre/Subject Matter:This full-length standing portrait shows a very young boy, described in the title as a nephew of the Grand Scharīf. The boy faces to his left but looks towards the camera. His right hand holds the sash at his waist, which in turn holds a ceremonial janbiya in place.He wears a loose-fitting robe with a thin sash across his left shoulder and a turban on his head.The negative has had hand-work applied, causing it to take on a soft-shaded quality in many places. The original background has been substituted completely, except for the carpet the child stands on.Inscriptions:Printed above image, in ink:XIIPrinted beneath image, in ink:‘Neffe des reg. Grossscherifs’A circular 'British Museum' blind stamp is located in the lower right corner.Physical description: Dimensions:130 x 93 mmFormat:1 collotype printCondition:The print is in good condition.Foliation:‘XII’
Abstract: Genre/Subject Matter:This full-length standing portrait shows a very young boy, described in the title as a nephew of the Grand Scharīf. The boy faces forward towards the camera.A complicated sash, buckle and series of draped fabric or metal chains cover the boy's chest and torso. He wears a dark-coloured hat with a light-coloured or silver circular motif at the front.The negative has had hand-work applied, causing it to take on a soft-shaded quality in places. The original background has been substituted completely, except for the white sheet the child stands on.See also 1781.b.6/15Inscriptions:Printed above image, in ink:XIIPrinted beneath image, in ink:‘Neffe des reg. Grossscherifs’A circular 'British Museum' blind stamp is located in the lower right corner.Physical description: Dimensions:130 x 94 mmFormat:1 collotype printCondition:The print is in good condition.Foliation:‘XII’
Abstract: Genre/Subject Matter:This full-length standing portrait shows a very young boy, described in the title as a nephew of the Grand Scharīf. The boy faces forward towards the camera.A complicated sash, buckle and series of draped fabric or metal chains cover the boy’s chest and torso. He wears a dark-coloured hat with a light-coloured or silver circular motif at the front.The negative has had hand-work applied, causing it to take on a soft-shaded quality in places. The original background has been substituted completely.See also 1781.b.6/14Inscriptions:Printed above image, in ink:XIIPrinted beneath image, in ink:‘Neffe des reg. Grossscherifs’A circular 'British Museum' blind stamp is located in the lower right corner.Physical description: Dimensions:130 x 94 mmFormat:1 collotype printCondition:The print is in good condition.Foliation:‘XII’
Abstract: Genre/Subject Matter:This full-length seated portrait shows a Meccan woman in bridal attire. She faces forward and looks towards the camera, both her hands held up, palms facing forwards on each side of her body.The most prominent features of the woman’s attire are her imposing headdress and embroidered bib or collar-like piece, which extends from the neck to a width in excess of the woman’s body and then towards her thighs. The piece appears to be made from twisted and embroidered fabrics as well as chains of coins. Two long plaits extend from her neck downwards across this piece before being woven into longer metal wands, appearing to extend the natural length of the hair. A bell is at the end of each. The woman’s robe is likely made of embroidered silk and she wears two thick anklets about her ankles. Tattooed or painted arches extend from the bridge of her nose upwards along her brow bone and down again to her outer brows.The woman is seated on a cushion-strewn seat or divan, covered in a monochrome printed fabric, featuring trees and shrubbery. Beading and an overlapping edge is visible on the upright part of the seat.The negative has had hand-work applied, causing it to take on a soft-shaded paint-like quality in places.Inscriptions:Printed above image, in ink:XXVPrinted beneath image, in ink:‘Mekkanerin im Brautanzug.'A circular 'British Museum' blind stamp is located in the lower left corner.Physical description: Dimensions:136 x 98 mmFormat:1 collotype printCondition:The print is in good condition.Foliation:‘XXV’
Abstract: Genre/Subject Matter:This full-length seated portrait shows a woman from Mecca. She sits face forward, looking towards the camera.She wears a pale-coloured shirt with decorative details at the cuffs, which is pulled up at the elbows. Around her shoulders and across her lap a translucent black gauze shawl is slung. Underneath this she wears vertically striped trousers. Her headdress is of printed or embroidered material. She wears rings on the little finger of her left hand and on the ring finger of her right hand .The negative has had hand-work applied, causing it to take on a soft-shaded paint-like quality. In particular the original background has been substituted completely, except for the carpet on which her chair stands.Inscriptions:Printed above image, in ink:XXVPrinted beneath image, in ink:‘Mekkanerin’A circular 'British Museum' blind stamp is located in the lower right corner.Physical description: Dimensions:137 x 96 mmFormat:1 collotype printCondition:The print is in good condition.Foliation:‘XXV’
Abstract: Genre/Subject Matter:This full-length portrait shows a bearded, described as a ‘sweet seller (Djiddah [Jeddah])’. The man stands face forward, looking towards the camera. He holds two corners of a rectangular tray which rests on a three-legged wooden table, made of bound branches.Many sticks topped with bird-like and other shapes stand perpendicular from the tray. A pile of wider stalks can be seen on the left of the tray. One or both of these may be
miswakstalks (Plural:
masawik), which are traditionally chewed to sweeten the breath prior to praying.The man wears a white, button-up
thawbrolled up at the elbows over white trousers and a white headdress. He has one prominent bandage on his left foot.The man is photographed in a courtyard-like space with plants – some in wide wooden pots – foliage and a window, fronted by bars, visible in the background.Inscriptions:Printed above image, in ink:XXIVPrinted beneath image, in ink:‘Süssigkeitskrämer (Djiddah).’A circular 'British Museum' blind stamp is located in the lower left corner.Physical description: Dimensions:144 x 98 mmFormat:1 collotype printCondition:The print is in good condition.Foliation:‘XXIV’