The Netherlands & Belgium · 20th century
€ 330
One of a kind: this is the sheet in the photographs. Ships from Langweer, the Netherlands.
Condition report: Very good overall. Light toning and faint foxing in the margins only; images clean and sharp. Card mount edges intact with no tears or creases.
Woodcutters and Logging Elephants, Lau Boentoe — C.J. Kleingrothe, ca. 1910
Historic photogravure showing two related scenes of the forestry and logging industry in the Deli region of East Sumatra. The upper image depicts woodcutters at work deep in the tropical rainforest, preparing timber by hand with traditional saw frames. The lower image features trained Asian elephants pulling large felled logs onto narrow-gauge trolley wagons, with plantation workers in attendance. Taken together, these scenes illustrate the transformation of the East Sumatran interior during the rapid expansion of the plantation economy in the early 20th century.
Charles J. Kleingrothe’s Medan studio served as the principal visual record of this era, photographing not only European commercial growth but also the labor and logistics that made the industry possible. Images of elephant logging are among the most sought-after subjects in colonial Southeast Asian photography, as they represent a fascinating intersection of Indigenous knowledge, animal labor, and industrial development.
The sheet is printed in rich photogravure tones and mounted on its original card support with multilingual captions beneath each image. Kleingrothe plates focusing on forestry and elephant labor are notably scarce, since many were heavily used as documentation and few survive in collectible condition. This example is particularly well-preserved, offering excellent clarity in vegetation details, figure expressions, and mechanical equipment.
An appealing print for collectors of Indonesian history, colonial photography, plantation heritage, or the visual history of working animals.
Condition report: Very good overall. Light toning and faint foxing in the margins only; images clean and sharp. Card mount edges intact with no tears or creases.
Framing tips: A teak-tone or dark wood frame complements the natural subject. A warm ivory or natural linen mat gives depth to the two-scene composition. UV-protected glass recommended.
Technique: Photogravure on original card mount
Maker: C.J. Kleingrothe, Medan, ca. 1910
Printer: J.B. Obernetter, München
Keywords: Colonial Indonesia, Deli, Sumatra, Lau Boentoe, elephant labor, logging history, tropical forestry, Dutch East Indies, plantation economy, Southeast Asia photography, working elephants
