Items Similar to Sumatra Tobacco Cultivation
Drying Barns — Deli Estates Photographic Pair 1910
Want more images or videos?
Request additional images or videos from the seller
1 of 10
Sumatra Tobacco Cultivation
Drying Barns — Deli Estates Photographic Pair 1910
$564.42per set
£418.04per set
€470per set
CA$772.10per set
A$840.28per set
CHF 445.43per set
MX$10,109.24per set
NOK 5,649.52per set
SEK 5,168.92per set
DKK 3,581.48per set
About the Item
Sumatra Tobacco Cultivation
Drying Barns — Deli Estates Photographic Pair, c.1910
Description:
This historically rich pair of original early 20th-century plantation photographs documents the celebrated tobacco estates of Deli, located in the Medan region of East Sumatra. Produced during the height of the Deli Maatschappij’s influence, these images illustrate the entire agricultural process for the region’s world-famous cigar wrapper tobacco — renowned for its delicate texture and smooth finish, exported globally to Europe and the United States.
The first plate presents tobacco cultivation in the field. Workers are seen planting and tending young tobacco plants in carefully irrigated rows, with ridged soil forming protective channels along the contour of the landscape. The second view shows expansive plantation rows as the crop matures, framed by supporting poles and seed-bearing top plants. These sweeping agricultural views not only convey the strategic organization of plantation labor, but also the fertile and highly structured environment that made Sumatra’s tobacco production so profitable.
The second plate brings the viewer inside the curing sheds, where harvested leaves are threaded, hung, and bundled for drying. Each scene showcases skilled laborers working beneath the tall palm-fiber roofs of traditional tobacco barns, where air circulation and shade were carefully optimized to maintain the fine texture of the leaves. Dozens of racks filled with hanging tobacco emphasize the scale of production, while groups of workers gather on the barn floor to process leaves and prepare them for export.
Together, these prints capture the complete cycle of Deli tobacco production — from cultivated rows in the fields to the skilled curing operations housed within the plantation infrastructure. The Dutch and English captions found beneath each scene indicate that these were likely created for commercial publication or export to European buyers, promoting the exceptional quality of Sumatra leaf tobacco within the global cigar market. Their fine photographic clarity, strong contrast, and cultural significance make this pair an important visual record of colonial agriculture in Indonesia and a compelling example of early plantation photography.
Ideal for collectors of Southeast Asian history, agricultural industry ephemera, colonial era photography, and those seeking decorative works that combine documentary relevance with graphic appeal.
Condition:
Very good overall condition. Minor age spots and toning to the wide margins, consistent with age. Images remain clean and well-preserved with strong detail and contrast. Light handling marks expected for prints of this period.
Framing Tips:
A double-window mount displaying the pair together creates a cohesive visual narrative. Cream or warm-white matting keeps focus on the photographic tonality. Slim black, dark teak, or deep walnut frames complement both their historical context and monochrome character.
Technique: Collotype photographic plates mounted on sheet
Maker: Likely Deli Maatschappij publication after period photography, Sumatra, c.1910
Keywords:
Sumatra, Deli, Medan, tobacco plantation, drying barns, cigar wrapper tobacco, Dutch East Indies, colonial Indonesia, agricultural history, plantation labor, vintage photography, Southeast Asia, early 20th century, black-and-white prints, industry documentation, farming scenes
-
- Dimensions:Height: 17.72 in (45 cm)Width: 13.39 in (34 cm)Depth: 0.01 in (0.2 mm)
- Sold As:Set of 2
- Materials and Techniques:
- Place of Origin:
- Period:
- Date of Manufacture:circa 1910
- Condition:Very good overall condition. Minor age spots and toning to the wide margins, consistent with age. Images remain clean and well-preserved with strong detail and contrast. Light handling marks expected for prints of this period.
- Seller Location:Langweer, NL
- Reference Number:Seller: BG-05079-12, -151stDibs: LU3054347661252
About the Seller
5.0
Recognized Seller
These prestigious sellers are industry leaders and represent the highest echelon for item quality and design.
Platinum Seller
Premium sellers with a 4.7+ rating and 24-hour response times
Established in 2009
1stDibs seller since 2017
2,816 sales on 1stDibs
Typical response time: 1 hour
- ShippingRetrieving quote...Shipping from: Langweer, Netherlands
- Return Policy
More From This Seller
View AllTobacco Seed Fields — Deli Region, Sumatra — Dutch East Indies, c.1910
Located in Langweer, NL
Planting the Seedlings & Tobacco Seed Fields — C.J. Kleingrothe, ca. 1910
This early 20th-century photogravure sheet documents two essential stages in Deli tobacco cultivation in Ea...
Category
Early 20th Century Dutch Maps
Materials
Paper
Coffee Fermentation Sheds and Harvest, Padang Roetan, Sumatra, c.1910
Located in Langweer, NL
Padang “Roetan” Fermentation Sheds
Coffee Harvest – Kleingrothe Photogravures c.1900
This original pair of early 20th-century photogravures documents both the processing and h...
Category
Early 20th Century Dutch Maps
Materials
Paper
Tobacco Fermentation
Packing – Deli, Sumatra, Kleingrothe, c.1900
Located in Langweer, NL
Tobacco Fermentation & Packing – Deli, Sumatra (Kleingrothe, c.1900)
A rare and highly detailed original photogravure depicting the industrial tobacco production process on the Deli...
Category
Early 20th Century Dutch Maps
Materials
Paper
Pepper Plantation
Timber, Sumatra — Antique Kleingrothe Photogravure c.1900
Located in Langweer, NL
Pepper Plantation & Timber, Sumatra — Antique Kleingrothe Photogravure c.1900
This original photogravure by C.J. Kleingrothe offers a rare documentar...
Category
Early 20th Century Dutch Maps
Materials
Paper
Sorting Tobacco in Lengths and Colors, Sumatra — Kleingrothe Photogravure c.1900
Located in Langweer, NL
Sorting Tobacco in Lengths and Colors, Sumatra — Kleingrothe Photogravure c.1900
This original early 20th-century photogravure captures tobacco workers inside a large sorting facili...
Category
Early 20th Century Dutch Maps
Materials
Paper
Set of 4 Tobacco Industry Photogravures – Sumatra’s O.K., C.J. Kleingrothe, 1910
Located in Langweer, NL
Set of 4 Tobacco Industry Photogravures – Sumatra’s O.K., C.J. Kleingrothe, ca. 1910
A highly desirable set of four original photogravures documenting key stages of the Deli tobacco...
Category
Early 20th Century Dutch Maps
Materials
Paper
You May Also Like
Pair of Photographs, Harold E. Hatch, Danville, VT, Late 19th-Early 20th Century
By Harold E. Hatch
Located in valatie, NY
Pair of original printed photos by Harold E. Hatch (Born October/1886-Died November/1973). He worked around Danville, VT in the late 19th and early 20th c. His photos were contact pr...
Category
Early 20th Century American Photography
Materials
Paper
Pei-ho River Photographs - Original Albumen Print - 1890s
Located in Roma, IT
Ancient Views of Pei-ho River is a set of ten original vintage Albumen prints on single cardboard: 26 x 34 cm.
Four same dimension images on the rear and six ones in various sizes o...
Category
Late 19th Century Modern Figurative Photography
Materials
Photographic Paper
Views of Yokohama - Vintage Albumen Print - 1890s
Located in Roma, IT
Views of Yokohama is a set of eight original vintage Albumen prints on single cardboard: 26 x 34 cm.
They were realized between the 1880s and th...
Category
Late 19th Century Modern Figurative Prints
Materials
Cardboard, Photographic Paper
Japanese Ethnographic Photographs - Vintage Albumen Print - 1880s/90s
Located in Roma, IT
Japanese Ethnographic photographs is a set of seven original vintage Albumen prints on single cardboard: 26 x 34 cm.
Three images on the front and four on the rear 9 x 13.5 cm
They...
Category
Late 19th Century Modern Figurative Photography
Materials
Photographic Paper
Ancient Views of Johor and Singapore - Original Albumen Print - 1880s/1890s
Located in Roma, IT
Ancient Views of Johor and Singapore photographs is a set of 12 original vintage albumen prints on single cardboard: 25 x 34 cm.
Size of photos: Various sizes 12x8, 8.5 x11, 8.5x10...
Category
Late 19th Century Modern Figurative Photography
Materials
Photographic Paper
Plucking Tea Leaf - Holton Estate, Panwila, 1880
By Charles Scowen
Located in Santa Monica, CA
Plucking Tea Leaf - Holton Estate, Panwila, 1880
Inscribed in negative
Vintage albumen print
Image Dimensions:
8.5 x 11 inches
Matted Dimensions:
16 x 20 inches
Category
Late 19th Century Landscape Photography
Materials
Photographic Paper
