East Indies · 20th century
€ 330
One of a kind: this is the sheet in the photographs. Ships from Langweer, the Netherlands.
Very good. Light scattered foxing and toning in the wide margins consistent with age. Image areas clean with strong impressions and visible plate marks.
Padang “Roetan” Fermentation Sheds & Coffee Harvest – Kleingrothe Photogravures c.1900
This original pair of early 20th-century photogravures documents both the processing and harvesting stages of the coffee industry in East Sumatra, photographed by the renowned German photographer C.J. Kleingrothe in Medan. His work is considered among the most significant visual records of the colonial era in the Deli region, where coffee, tobacco, and rubber were major export commodities.
The first plate shows the fermenting and assorting sheds near Padang “Roetan.” The broad plantation road, shaded by tropical trees, leads the eye toward the industrial buildings that reflect the rapid expansion of agricultural infrastructure around 1900 to support international trade. The scene highlights the integration of tropical agriculture with modern industrial development in the Dutch East Indies.
The second plate focuses on labor: women and children harvesting ripe coffee cherries, some balanced high on simple wooden ladders amid dense plantation rows. This depiction humanizes the economic importance of Sumatra’s world-famous coffee and offers a vivid look into everyday life behind plantation production. Kleingrothe’s strong composition and the deep tonal richness of photogravure printing make this an engaging and decorative image group.
Both prints were originally issued in the scarce promotional atlas “Sumatra’s O.K.,” produced for major plantation companies in the Deli region. Printed by J.B. Obernetter in Munich, the gravure process provides superb detail, subtle gradations, and enduring visual clarity.
Condition: Very good. Light scattered foxing and toning in the wide margins consistent with age. Image areas clean with strong impressions and visible plate marks.
Framing tips: A warm off-white mat suits the subtle gravure tones beautifully. A teak or dark walnut frame complements the tropical subject matter and adds to the period character — ideal for display in both private and professional interiors.
Technique: Photogravure
Maker: C.J. Kleingrothe, Medan (printed by J.B. Obernetter, Munich), ca. 1900
