As every dog lover knows, the domesticated canine is more than man's best friend - he or she is a "bone"-a-fide member of the family. The Dog Album, a wonderful collection of antique photos, proves it has always been so.

Back in the days before the snapshot, portraits were only taken in studios by professional photographers. For the nineteenth-century businessman, newly engaged couple, or Victorian family dressed in their Sunday best, a photo session was indeed a special occasion. Cameras were cumbersome, exposures slow, and subjects had to hold a pose for minutes at a time-all of which makes the fact that so many dogs participated in the event that much more fascinating. Pooches, purebreds, and mutts in all shapes and sizes were paired with babies, older children, entire families, even tradesmen. The combinations are sure to charm contemporary dog people.

From daguerreotypes to tintypes, cartes de visite to cabinet cards, stereographs to photographic postcards, The Dog Album represents the finest images from the combined collections of the authors. The book also charts the history of American portrait photography. Images are grouped according to photographic process, accurately reproduced, and dated whenever possible. A thorough explanation of the featured process introduces each section. For fido fanatics and history buffs, The Dog Album offers unique insight into a near-century of American hounds and the humans who loved them. 
Price: 6.50 USD