The remains of the original pasted letterpress title label to the portfolio. Fortunately, another copy owned by the photographer’s great-grandson shared with this archive reveals what is missing. The entire folio title is:  Souvenir of “One of the 1001 Nights” chéz Jimmie Breese. A carbon print of the invitation was included as a portfolio plate, a copy of which is known to have been given to each guest attending the costume party- according to a published newspaper article after the event.

One of perhaps only 50-70 copies produced, with almost all believed to be either lost or destroyed, this rare mammoth album of original carbon photographs, including of artwork produced by notable artists and an original multi-color lithograph, was compiled by amateur photographer James Lawrence Breese in early 1897. An important and historical photographic and artistic record of America’s Gilded Age, it was produced as a lavish “souvenir” album of a gathering of 70 invitees of the New York City elite, including members of The Four Hundred. The occasion was a costume party at the photographer’s “Carbon Studio” and townhouse at midnight on December 17, 1896.

The album contains ten carbon prints, laid down on oversized cards and individually matted, all with Breese’s “The Carbon Studio” blindstamp, and an original lithograph of  the party’s “menu” printed in colors by American artist Robert Lewis Reid. (1862-1929)