120 photographs by George L.G. Cook, J.A. Palmer, William E. Wilson and other prominent Charleston photographers, bound as a presentation book to Francis W. Dawson, leather bound with embossed gold lettering "The Charleston earthquake/August 31st, 1886/Francis W. Dawson", hand lettered captions under each photograph, 12-1/4 x 10 in.; together with an additional mounted earthquake photograph stamped "Geo. L.G. Cook, photographer, 265 King Street, Charleston, S.C."

Note: George La Grange Cook was the son of photographer George S. Cook, the prominent Civil War photographer who is well known as the first photographer to capture an actual combat image at Fort Sumpter. Cook had a well known photo studio in Charleston at the time of the earthquake. He produced a limited edition book "Souvenir of the Great Earthquake at Charleston SC" that included a number of these images.  

Francis W. Dawson was a British writer who came to the United States from England and served in the Confederate Army under General Longstreet. After the war he resumed his journalism career and became editor in chief of the Charleston News and Courier. Dawson was instrumental in spearheading and supporting the re-building of the city after the quake's devastation. This album was produced between 1886 and the time of Dawson's sensational murder in 1889, and presented to him, most likely as a tribute for his efforts. The first photograph in the album shows Dawson's home and family, including the au pair who shot him in 1889.

photographs all mounted on bound heavy card stock pages, leather missing on spine, grime and age commensurate with wear, toning and fading to photographs, some warping to pages; addtional mounted photograph faded, toned, left upper corner  missing, tear at lower left edge, backing substantially torn and worn