Rare 1923 West Africa Photo Album — Kearton Provenance (Lagos, Liberia, Kru Boys For Sale

EXCEPTIONAL 1923 WEST AFRICA (NIGERIA & LIBERIA) PHOTO ALBUM & WWI PORTRAIT

FOSTER "JACK" KEARTON PROVENANCE — FEATURING SELF-PORTRAITS & HISTORIC AFRICANA

An extraordinary primary-source historical photograph album owned, compiled, and annotated by Foster "Jack" Kearton (brother of pioneering wildlife photographers Richard and Cherry Kearton).

Presented to Jack by his family on his birthday on July 30, 1923, he took this album on his expedition to West Africa, mounting original photographic prints and writing detailed ink captions throughout.

1. Direct Kearton Family Inscription (July 30, 1923):

   • Hand-inscribed on the inner front cover:

     "~ To Jack ~ on his Birthday ~ From Mother, Dora, & Grace ~ July 30th 1923 ~"

   • Signed by Jack's mother,Mary Kearton (née Hunter) and his nieces, Dora and Grace Kearton (daughters of Richard Kearton).

2. Self-Portraits of Jack Kearton ("SELF"):

   • Includes rare, clearly labeled on-location portraits of Jack in 1920s tropical attire:

     • "MACDONALD + SELF AT LAGOS"

     • "MACKINNON + SELF AT LAGOS"

3. Colonial Nigeria & Liberia Historical Content (1923):

   • Liberian Cabinet Minister: A landmark full-length portrait labelled "Secy. of State / Attorney General / LIBERIAN GOVERNMENT CABINET MINISTER" depicting a senior Americo-Liberian government official in top hat and morning dress.

   • Liberian Ethnographic & Maritime Studies: Features a portrait labelled "GIRL VAI TRIBE" (Monrovia, 1923) and multiple detailed photos of "KRU BOYS / FISHERMEN AT MONROVIA" paddling dug-out pirogues.

   • Iddo Railway Station (Lagos, 1923): European travelers in tropical suits and solar topees beside a train carriage at the Nigerian Railway terminus.

   • Monrovia & Lagos Landmarks: Early streetscapes and harbour views including "1923 MAIN STREET MONROVIA", elevated views of "THE WATERSIDE MONROVIA", "MANAGER WITH BOYS" on a tennis court, "Cowrie Creek Bridge, Lagos", and "The Lagoon, Lagos".

4. Homeward Voyage & English Nature Studies (1924):

   • Features a deck shot taken during his return journey: "HOMEWARD BOUND 'EGORI'" (Elder Dempster Line).

   • Concludes with close-up studies of Crowned Cranes and landscape views of "GODSTONE QUARRY WOODS Autumn 1924" in Surrey.

5. BONUS INCLUDED ITEM — WWI Loose Oval Portrait (1916/1917):

   • Tucked loose in the rear of the album is an original oval profile portrait of Richard Kearton's son, Cherry Kearton (Jack's nephew).

   • Inscribed on the reverse: "Jack with love to cousin Cherry / 16 Jan 1917. / Taken July 1916 when aged 16 yrs exactly."

• Binding & Exterior: Original embossed dark brown leather over boards with authentic "SIMPLICO PATENT KODAK LTD" metal clasp hardware. Fraying, cloth exposure, and rubbing along the spine edges and corner tips are consistent with age and travel.

• Interior Pages: Heavy cardstock leaves in clean condition with strong ink captions. A few pages show light adhesive marks where photos were removed in the past.

• Photographic Prints: Prints retain strong contrast, tonal depth, and sharp focus. The loose oval portrait shows mild surface creasing along the top edge, but the image and reverse handwriting remain fully intact and legible.