Mexican Revolution, Incredible Album of Press Photographs

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American History Auction

By Cowan's Auctions

Nov 18, 2016 - Nov 19, 2016

Set Reminder 2016-11-18 10:00:00 2016-11-19 10:00:00 America/New_York Bidsquare Bidsquare : American History Auction https://www.bidsquare.com/auctions/cowans/american-history-auction-1870
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• Lot Description
  Album containing 160 photographs documenting the Mexican Revolution, ca 1910-1920, from the end of the reign of Porfirio Diaz to the inauguration of General Alvaro Obregon. Album measures, 15 x 19 in., most pages with three or four 5 x 7 in. photographs, all accompanied by printed captions on the album pages. Most are period copy photos, but a few appear to be possibly postcard or other professionally produced images.
  
  The album begins with images of Diaz and President William Howard Taft meeting at El Paso in 1910. Then followed by Diaz' flight from the city. Image 12 shows him just before his departure by ship. Images 13 - 18 cover the interim President and candidates - Francisco Madero, De la Barra, and Bernardo Reyes. Image 19 shows Madero meeting with Yaqui chiefs. Image 24 shows a group of revolutionaries signing up to fight against Madero, in part over the choice of Vice President.
  
  Image 25, labeled General Genovevo de la O - Gen. Revolutionist against anyone, and the following capture Reyes and Madero together.
  
  These are followed by images of the National Palace and a lengthy explanation: Few moments after this opening guns of the February 9, 1913 Tragic ten days reign of terror – 507 were killed during the first twenty minutes beginning at 8:30 A.M. Sunday – Maching [sic - machine] gun fire from Palace doors and windows – General Reyes opened the rebellion by leading troops on the Palace and here met his death – Many civilians were killed at same time – Reyes had, he thought, arranged for surrender of Madero’s troops and therefor[e] marched his column openly and directly to the Palace but Madero troops remained loyal and met Reyes with guns. 
  
  The following photographs show people dead in the streets: Number 30 - National Arsenal – photo from roof of Y.M.C.A. – Arsenal figured in Feb. 9th strategy – Attacked and taken by Felix Diaz and Gen. Manuel Mondregon at same time that Reyes marched against the Palace – While Reyes sorty failed, the Arsenal was captured and successfully held during the ten days siege and thereafter by the successful Revolutionists – Using Arsenal as a base, 6000 Revolutionists with cannon, machine guns and rifle fire turned Mexico City into a shambles for ten days. 
  
  A number of photos follow with details of the February 9th action, including people fleeing and deserted streets. The album contains several gruesome images of the dead being buried or cremated, sometimes in large bonfires, as well as views of many buildings with cannon damage.
  
  A noteworthy photo is image 58, captioned: Group which overthrew Madero - Gen'l Mondregon - Victoriano Huerta who fought by Madero's side for nine days and turned traitor to him on the tenth, arresting Madero - Felix Diaz who started the uprising. This is accompanied by photos of Madero's shirt after assassination, the celebratory banquet, and the coffin.
  
  After these events, the entire Congress was imprisoned by Huerta, and several images show the men killing time in prison. President Wilson sent an unofficial emissary to meet Huerta at Vera Cruz, and several photos of this meeting follow.
  
  Image 76 shows Generals Alvaro Obregon, Francisco Villa and John Pershing - Taken at El Paso, Texas, 1914. American troops landed at Vera Cruz, and occupied that city after the fall of Huerta. Then the Carranzistas fought the Zapatistas. Yaqui Indians served as guards of Carranza's Palace. Francisco Villa then joined forces with the Zapatistas and another revolution was underway. A number of images show these leaders, before they were driven out by returning Carranzistas, after the capital was taken and retaken six times between November 1914 and August 1915. This, of course, disrupted the infrastructure and food and money were scarce, as each new regime printed their own currency, triggering protests in the streets. There were bread lines, but many thousands still died of starvation. A later series of photos in the album shows citizens being executed who took to falsifying currency because there was no access to money. The next series of images covers the next Carranza government and Congress (Chamber of Deputies).
  
  Image 123 shows destruction in Columbus, New Mexico caused by "Pancho" Villa, followed by images of prisoners and American dead after the raid. Then follows a series of photos of executions, lynchings, and other inhumanity.
  
  Again, the Carranza government was overthrown and images show General Alvaro Obregon, Pablo Gonzales, and other military leaders responsible for this. One of the last images captures Emilio Zapata after his execution.
  
  The last three pages contain 12 photographs of the primary "players" in this drama: General Porfirio Diaz, Francisco de la Barra; Francisco Madero; Don Pedro Lascurian ("President for 36 minutes only preceding Huerta assumption of the office"), General Victoriano Huerta; Francisco Carbajal; Eulalio Gutierez; Francisco Lagos Chazaro; Roque Gonzales Carza (these three with very short presidencies); General Venustiano Carranza; Adolfo de la Huerta; General Alvaro Obregon (inaugurated December 1, 1920).
  
  This decade-long revolution began in opposition to the 35-year regime of Diaz, and transformed Mexican culture. There were many regional outbreaks and causes, but it ultimately involved the entire nation. The historic and tumultuous period of time is well-documented through this exceptional album of 160 captioned photographs.

  Condition

  Book in rough shape. Images still pretty much in original condition with a few exceptions (minor edge chips). All images still affixed to album pages.  
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