BERLIN AIRLIFT RARE 1949 ORIGINAL PHOTO ALBUM 225 PICS COLD WAR BEGINS 70th ANN

Description

[BERLIN AIRLIFT, WWII AFTERMATH, WEST VS SOVIET COLD WAR]
We are proud to offer a truly rare and historic artifact.
On offer here is an
ORIGINAL BERLIN AIRLIFT PHOTO ALBUM DOCUMENTING VIRTUALLY ALL ASPECTS OF THE 10 MONTH CAMPAIGN
.  The album contains just about 225 photos in a variety of sizes the majority being in the 2.5 in x 3.5 in and 2.5 in x 2.5 in. There are also 3.0 in x 4.5 in and some 3.5 in x 5.5 in.
The album itself is in slightly delicate condition with the backstrip being lost and the front cover with a light stain as shown. All of the images contained within are in excellent condition and are mounted in the album on photo mounting tabs.
We do not know who the airman or officer was who created the album, but suffice it to say he was certainly part of the range of American soldiers engaged in the Herculean 10 month effort.
The owner of this album seemed to live in the 'Bettis Barracks' in Frankfurt (Tempelhof Airport ?) where the seemingly endless rounds of sorties were flown from.
This album is quite amazing as it shows content not often (or ever) shown before like:
* Repairs to the planes; replacing engines, etc.
* Soldiers living quarters / bunks.
* Day in the life type shots
* Snowy images ; during the winter / spring 1948-49
* Images of destroyed buildings
* Photos taken from the air of other planes in flight + shots of the ground
The Berlin Airlift only lasted 10 months and during that time the soldiers working on keeping it going were extremely busy. In fact, one of the newspaper clippings taped to the front of the album mentions a flight crew having to take stop eating their food in the mess hall and take their food with them on the plane.
Given the combination of the frenetic 'combat like' operational pace and the relatively short duration of the campaign,
NOT MANY GI'S HAD THE TIME (OR THE INCLINATION) TO TAKE PHOTOS
. Not to mention, few if any could have imagined the historical import of what this effort would mean in a historical context and how this would mark a seminal event in the history of geopolitics.
Clearly an important collecting opportunity for both the private collector and the institution alike.  This is the
ONLY COMPLETE ALBUM WHOLLY RELATED TO THE BERLIN AIRLIFT WE'VE BEEN ABLE TO TRACE IN PUBLIC COMMERCE IN THE LAST 25 YEARS
. There have been groups of 5 - 20 photos previously sold and individual images sell and and are offered in the - 0/ each range however, we've not been able to find another example of a
complete album with the continuity
this example has.
2019 marks the
70th anniversary of the Berlin Airlift
and the amazing efforts of the US and Allied forces to aid the people of Berlin.
-
WE HAVE INCLUDED BELOW ABOUT 95%+ OF THE IMAGES (SOME WITH ZOOMED IN SHOTS)
Item Photos
click to enlarge
Please email any questions -