Full black leather boards, ruled in blind, the spine is also ruled in blind with raised bands. Title blind stamped to upper board. Boards a little rubbed. Each watercolour is laid onto larger, contemporary paper with a hand-written pencil note to each specifying the name of the place, identity, or origin, or status of the portrayed character. Some are signed 'E'. There are two additional watercolours, one of which is signed by 'Ste. Marie'; they represent the district of Mohammad Cherif in Algiers. They come from the album of General Adolphe de Richepanse (1837-1862), son of Antoine de Richepanse, General-in-Chief of the expeditionary army of Guadelouope, where he had been charged with restoring slavery. The watercolours are 25 x 35 cm each. The provenance is detailed via a signed and dated hand written note in pencil on the flyleaf. An truly exceptional set of original watercolours made in Algeria by Élisabeth de MacMahon (née Elisabeth Charlotte Sophie de la Croix de Castries) 1834-1900 - the wife of the future President of France; Marie Edme Patrice Maurice de MacMahon (1808-1893) - The Marquis de MacMahon, Duc de Magenta. He was a French general and politician, with the distinction of Marshal of France. MacMahon had been appointed Governor-General of Algeria in 1864, from where he was recalled in 1870. He served as Chief of State of France from 1873 to 1875 and as President of France from 1875 to 1879. Found within this tremendous album are different types of regional costumes, portraits, interior scenes, the Port of Algiers, the entrance to the El Kebir Mosque, the Port de la Casbah, Fort Baberousse etc. Coloured plates in order: 1. The Port of Algiers. 1869. 2. Mustapha. Le Palais de Ete. August 1869. 3. Rheira. (woman). 4. Bel Kassein (man lying on a divan). 5. Three young girls sitting (Rheira / Hoziria / Hallina). Algeria, June 1868. 6. Two older girls sitting (no caption). 1866. 7. A courtyard scene (no caption). 8. A man and his donkey (no caption) 1866. 9. Madame Athoun. 10. Mustapha. (guard in a palace) 1869. 11. La Porte de la Casbah. 1869. 12. Spahi. 1866. (The Spahis were light-cavalry regiments of the French army recruited primarily from the indigenous populations of Algeria, Tunisia and Morocco). 13. Alger. Entree de la mosque El Kebir. 14. Vue de la fontaine de lactuelle une de Bab-el-Oued. 15. Fort Baberousse. 1870. 16-17. Rues de la Casbah (2 watercolours) 18. La Rade vers l'Est vers Maison Carree. 19. Cobbled street leading to an alleyway, walled on one side, buildings on the other (no caption). 20. Women in traditional costume in a back street (no caption). 21. Les gorges de la Chiffa. (Ruisseau des Singes). 22. Femme du Sud. Region de Bou Saada. 23. A young woman sitting (no caption). 24. A portrait of a young man with headdress. 25. Rue de la vieil le Ville. 26. A young African man in loose clothing (interior scene). 27. An older man in costume (no caption). 1869. 28. A young African woman, with colourful headdress etc. 29. A young Algerian male in colourful clothes. (no caption) 24 March 1865. 30. A young Algerian male sitting crossed legged, holding a pair of circular discs (no caption). 25 March 1869. 31. A middle-aged male sitting crossed legged, smoking a pipe (no caption). 27 March 1869. 32. Bel Kassem. 3 April 1869. 33. An Algerian woman sitting on a stone seat with her arms folded. (no caption) 5 April 1865. 34. A young serving boy carrying a tray with a cup and pot and flowers. (no caption) 31 July 1865. 35. A musician and a dancer. (no caption) August 1865. 36. An African lady in an attractive costume. (no caption) 30 June 1866. 37. Mustapha. (man sitting on stone seat leaning against a column). July 1866. 38. A very young girl in a pretty costume. (no costume) 1865. 39. A tribal chief? In full colourful costume and turban. (no caption, no date) 40. Jeune femme Berbere - Etude de - - - et coiffure. 20 March 1869. 41-42. Alger- quartier de Mohammad Cherif / a Alger 1845. (2 watercolours)