[Rarebooks] FS: Panama Canal Zone--Woman's photo album, 1929

[Bob Petrilla]

Panama Canal Zone.  PHOTOGRAPH ALBUM OF 240 VERNACULAR IMAGES, RECORDING AN
AMERICAN WOMAN'S LIFE IN THE PANAMA CANAL ZONE, 1929-1931. This album
contains more than 240 original photographs, mostly 4.25" x 2.5" and
several at 5" x 7". The images are fixed with photo-corners to heavy black
stock, and many have captions in white below the images.  A leaf at the
front, printed and accomplished by hand, identifies the photographer as
Mrs. Pearl Davis Reynolds, although the photographs of her were taken by
another.  She entered the Canal Zone via the Pacific Ocean on 5 October
1929, apparently aboard a US Army Transport. The album is bound in
string-tied leather over flexible boards with oil-painted tropical foliage
on the cover, and an inset picture of Culebra Cut rendered on silk. The
final two leaves are detached, otherwise in sound condition.  8" x 11".

Pearl Davis Reynolds was born on 1 August 1913, died on 10 October 1998,
and is buried at Fort Gibson National Cemetery in Oklahoma.  Her Panama
Canal Zone adventure seems to have been as the wife (or companion) of a US
Marine Corps non-commissioned officer (named Miles) stationed there.
Pearl's album includes two pages of autographs and comments made by Canal
Zone friends.  In the photographs, she appears as a tall, thin woman,
usually dressed in jungle outfits.  Seen in the photographs are Pearl,
Miles, friends, family pets, Canal Zone sites and structures, forts,
beaches, battleships, &c., &c.  Here are some of the captions: Quarters
#47-A;  Miles;  Pearl; Picnic;  At Amador;  Sherman Parade;  In the
Jungles;  A-A gun, Fort San Lorenzo;  Landing Field;  Balloon Hanger;  Fort
Amador;  Panama City;  Ironad Dam;  Fort DeLesseps;  Fleet Maneuvers;  USAT
St. Mihiel; The Los Angeles (airplane);  her four kids;  Headquarters
Hospital;  14" Disappearing Rifle;  birdseye view of naval station;
Chagres River;  New Devil's Beach;  Shimmy Beach; Gatum Lake;  Panama Bay
Battle Fleet;  San Juan; Leaving Porto Rica;  USAT Chateau Thierry;  &c.
$250.00

Postpaid in US.  Usual trade terms.




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