Kenya coast, 1950s and 1960s

A splendid portfolio evoking a largely bygone era - at least in East African waters. Forty-six of the images are studies of dhows (large trading dhows and smaller racing dhows with outriggers). They are shown under sail, in port and beached. There are also some studies of the carved stern belonging to a large ocean-going dhow. Some images show the crew at work. Most of the images appear to have been taken in and around Mombasa (one view is one taken from the patio of the Mombasa Club) but there are several images of Lamu dhows. The collection includes eight loose press photographs (each 21.5 x 16.5 cm.) of political and ethnographic scenes, circa 1960s. It also includes a group portrait of personnel at a naval base (possibly a naval air station), in Kenya or Zanzibar, circa 1950s; the image includes three British naval officers with uniformed Indian and native support staff (a Union Jack is displayed as a backdrop). This photograph includes an ink stamp in the lower right margin: ‘Castalopes, travelling Art Studio, K. U. T. & Z. (Kenya, Uganda, Tanganyika & Zanzibar).