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Count Pehr Ambjörn Sparre ofSöfdeborgDesigner of the Skilling Banco Swedish Postage StampsAntique Cabinet Card Portrait
Paris, France (ca. 1884)
Count Pehr Ambjörn Sparre (1828–1921) was a Swedish nobleman, engineer, inventor, and engraver best known for designing and producing Sweden’s first postage stamps in 1855. He was also involved in a number of technical and industrial ventures. His pioneering work in stamp design and engraving established him as an important figure in Swedish postal and philatelic history.
A portion of the handwritten inscription on the reverse reads:
“Greve Pehr Ambjörn Sparre, omkr. 1884, Fotograferad i Paris.”
This translates to:
“Count Pehr Ambjörn Sparre, circa 1884, photographed in Paris.”
The location is consistent with Sparre’s history, as he had been living in Paris since 1861.
An additional inscription provides particularly interesting evidence of the photograph’s family provenance:
“Tillhör L. Sparre, Alberget 7, Stockholm Ö.”
The Swedish word “Tillhör” translates to “belongs to.” The inscription, therefore, identifies the photograph as belonging to L. Sparre, with Alberget 7, Stockholm Ö given as his address. Louis Sparre, Pehr Ambjörn Sparre’s son, is independently documented at Alberget 7 in Stockholm. I\'ve uploaded an image of a period Stockholm directory listing showing “Sparre Louis Greve”—Count Louis Sparre—at that address.
Count Pehr Louis Sparre (1863–1964) was a noted Swedish aristocrat, painter, designer, and writer who became an influential figure in Finland’s late-19th-century art and design movement. He helped establish the important Iris ceramics and furniture workshop in Porvoo, Finland, and became associated with the development of Finnish National Romantic and Art Nouveau design.
The combination of the period identification, Paris attribution, and apparent ownership by the sitter’s own son gives this photograph unusually strong historical and family provenance.
The photograph measures 4 1/16\" x 5 15/16\" and is mounted to a 4 1/4\" x 6 7/16\" cabinet card. The photograph is in beautiful condition. The card has wear to the outside edges with more notable wear to the corners. The lower-right corner of the card is damaged. There is also a small area of damage along the left edge of the card, approximately 1\" from the lower-left corner.
Please see the images provided, as they\'re part of the description.
