Snapshots of the Past

Signorina Maria Spelterina in her high rope performance [over Niagara Falls] – Historic Print

Signorina Maria Spelterina in her high rope performance [over Niagara Falls], c1889. — historic photograph
Signorina Maria Spelterina in her high rope performance [over Niagara Falls], c1889.. Historic photograph from the Niagara Falls collection.

(Originally scanned by the Library of Congress. Each image is professionally and digitally cleaned of artifacts such as color bars and extra borders prior to printing.)

Description

Step back in time with Signorina Maria Spelterina in her high rope performance [over Niagara Falls], a historic photograph rich in period detail. The original is held by the Library of Congress, so what you hang is a true record of its time.

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Signorina Maria Spelterina in her high rope performance [over Niagara Falls]

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Signorina Maria Spelterina is shown in mid-performance on a high rope stretched over the gorge at Niagara Falls, a feat that drew crowds of spectators in the late 1880s. Her crossings were among the most publicized stunts of the period, and the falls made a dramatic backdrop for a performer willing to walk above the rushing water. This albertype was issued in a souvenir album, Tugby's Illustrated Guide to Niagara Falls. Albertypes were a photomechanical process prized for their fine tonal detail, and they gave tourists an affordable way to keep images of the cataract and its attractions. The date given here, c1889, comes from an unverified caption card.

Created / publishedc1889.
Medium1 photographic print : albertype.
NotesAlbertype copyrighted by Thomas Tugby. In souvenir album, Tugby's Illustrated Guide to Niagara Falls. This record contains unverified data from caption card. Caption card tracings: Women; Daredevils; Geogr.
SourceLibrary of Congress, Prints and Photographs Division
Original scan1,536 × 1,185 px · prints to 5 × 4 in at 300 dpi
ReferenceAMZ-SOTP-HPA-171923

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