Rare Photographs

Collections of International Photographers at the Library

1. Major General Muhammad Sadiq Pasha Collection

One of the rarest collections in the world by Major General Muhammad Sadiq Pasha, featuring exceptional photographs of the Two Holy Mosques. The uniqueness of this collection lies in the existence of only three known copies worldwide: the first was acquired by His Royal Highness Prince Sultan bin Abdulaziz in 1419 AH, the second is owned by King Abdulaziz Public Library, and the third is held by the French Cultural Institute in Paris. The Library further enriched this collection by acquiring the author's four rare books:

• • A Brief Account of the Survey of the Hejaz Land Route (1877).
• • Mish'al al-Mahmal fi Safar al-Hajj Barran (The Beacon of the Mahmal on the Pilgrimage Journey by Land) (1880).
• • Kawkab al-Hajj fi Safar al-Mahmal Bahran wa Sayrihi Barran (The Star of the Pilgrimage on the Mahmal's Journey by Sea and Land) (1885).
• • Guide for Pilgrims Arriving in Makkah and Madinah from Every Distant Pass (1885).
• • These publications include 16 photographs and provide a detailed description of the social and urban conditions of the Hejaz.

2. Hajj Ahmad Mirza Collection

The Library uniquely owns previously unpublished rare collections by the internationally renowned photographer Hajj Ahmad Mirza, whose reputation and scholarly standing rival those of Major General Muhammad Sadiq Pasha. His collection comprises 12 exceptional photographs.

3. Ahmad Pasha Hilmi Collection

The Library houses approximately 396 original photographs, together with their original negatives, all previously unpublished, taken by Ahmad Pasha Hilmi, who was commissioned by King Farouk to photograph the Two Holy Mosques during King Abdulaziz's entry into Makkah and his visit to Madinah. The collection also includes albums documenting the Hejaz Railway, as well as a very rare album relating to an important political issue during the period of the unification of the Kingdom.

4. Humberto de Silveira Collection

The Library owns 165 original photographic prints, together with their original negatives, all previously unpublished, taken by Humberto de Silveira during the twelve years he spent traveling throughout the Kingdom. These photographs are of great importance in introducing younger generations to traditional customs and ways of life. They were published in his books Najd and The Bedouins, and have received broad international recognition through exhibitions at the Arab World Institute in Paris and the Musée de l'Élysée in Lausanne, as well as through various national exhibitions organized by the Library both within the Kingdom and abroad.

5. Dionisio Cheli Correa Collection

The works of the Spanish naval officer Dionisio Cheli Correa document the 1882 "Gravina" naval expedition across the Red Sea. His camera captured 96 photographs of strategic locations extending from the Suez Canal, Egypt, and Sudan to the Bab al-Mandab Strait, Aden, and finally India.

6. Princess Alice (Countess of Athlone) Collection

This collection comprises 324 historical photographs documenting the official visit of Her Royal Highness Princess Alice and her husband, the Earl of Athlone, to the Kingdom. It represents the first official visit by a delegation from the British Royal Family to Saudi Arabia, making it an exceptionally important political and diplomatic record.

7. Carl Lorenz Uller Collection

This collection contains some of the earliest photographs of the northwestern Arabian Peninsula, dating to 1907. The album documents 66 photographs of the Hejaz Railway route from Ma'an to AlUla, passing through Tabuk and Madain Salih. It records AlUla's rich cultural heritage, natural environment, wildlife—including the presence of ostriches—and the social life of the region during that period.