An archive photo album of late 19th century, handed to Fabio Tito’s grandmother Teodora Bragiotti, nee Tarrabocchia. Of the 81 individual photos only 7 have inscriptions on the reverse (indicated below), and from these clues it appears this album belonged to the Reggio / Barry family of Smyrna, with a rough date range of 1860-1880. Hopefully in time more names will come to light, however they also show the range of photo studios active at the time in Smyrna / Constantinople, though some of the photographs were clearly taken abroad (Paris, New Jersey etc.).
Cav. Umberto Reggio (1845 - 1899) (Identified in 2021 by Aybala Yentürk), the son of Ignazio Nicola Giuseppe Reggio and Despina Maria Barry. The lowest visible medal in the photo was awarded to him by the Ottoman Sultan in recognition for his work for the victims of the Chios Island earthquake of 1881 - alternative archive image: (Aybala Yentürk archive)
The lower 2 photos are of the same person in his youth aged 19 in the United States visiting his uncle Niccolo, one taken in Boston, one in New Jersey, signed by him (H is the acronym for his Anglicised name of Hubert) to Paul Mirzan, possibly his future father-in-law as around in 1873 he would marry Elodie Nicolette Mirzan, his first wife. Note on back: To Mr. Paul Mirzan. A small souvenir from your devoted H. P. M. Reggio.
Fritz Charnaud (1857-1932) (Identified in 2010 by Quentin Compton-Bishop, one of his great-grandfathers). Fritz Charnaud’s daughter Ivy Charnaud, was the wife of Joseph Ballian. Joseph Ballian was son of Paul Ballian and Isabella Reggio (there is a photo of her lower down this gallery).
Note on back: Grand-mother Isabella Ballian Reggio - (daughter of Ignace Nicola Reggio and Despina née Barry, born in Smyrna in 1847, married Paul Ballian in 1885).
Note on back: Gaspard Barry (born 1807, son of Melchior Barry and Claire née Mirzan?) to his nephew H. P. M. Reggio (born 1824, son of Matthieu Reggio and Thérèse née Rolland?).
|