Close-ups
Framed and on the wall
Frame and rooms are illustrations of how the print could look, drawn to its real size; it is sold unframed unless the description says otherwise.
Towns and Landscapes
Tobacco Seed Fields, Deli Region, Sumatra, Dutch East Indies, c.1910
$300
€270 · £225
Original print, not a reproduction
Ships worldwide from the Netherlands, insured and tracked. 14-day returns.
- Date
- 1910
- Sheet size
- 17.7 × 13.4 in (45 × 34 cm)
- Condition
- Good. Condition report: Very good overall. Minor foxing and age toning in the outer mount margins only. Image areas remain clean, with good preservation of detail and no tears or creases. Verso clean.
- Island
- Sumatra
- Collection
- Towns and Landscapes
- Period
- Netherlands Indies, 1850 and after
- Stock no.
- f_47661012
What the condition grades mean
- Excellent
- Bright and clean, with no faults worth mentioning.
- Very good
- Only light signs of age, such as faint toning.
- Good
- Normal signs of age for a sheet of this period: toning, some foxing, small marks or neat old repairs.
- Fair
- Clear faults such as staining, tears or repairs, priced to match.
Every fault we see is written in the condition note, and the whole sheet is shown uncropped in the photos.
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 East Sumatra. The upper image shows workers planting tender seedlings into prepared soil, with nursery buildings and tools visible in the background. The lower scene depicts large structured seed beds protected by shade screens, an important innovation that allowed for controlled growth of the valuable wrapper leaf.
Charles J. Kleingrothe’s Medan studio was responsible for the most complete photographic record of the plantation economy in the Dutch East Indies. Deli tobacco was internationally renowned for its quality and was a primary export crop driving global demand for Sumatra’s wrapper leaf in the European and American cigar industry. These images show the careful manual labor and large-scale organization behind that success.
Printed in rich photogravure tones and mounted on its original card support, the sheet includes captions in German, Dutch, and English, reflecting its original use for international promotion and documentation. Tobacco-related plates are central items for collectors focusing on East Sumatra’s economic history, and plates showing labor and agricultural stages such as these are increasingly desirable.
Condition report: Very good overall. Minor foxing and age toning in the outer mount margins only. Image areas remain clean, with good preservation of detail and no tears or creases. Verso clean.
Framing tips: A walnut or natural teak frame complements the agricultural theme. A wide warm-white mat suits the double-view presentation and provides breathing space around the mount. UV-protective glazing recommended.
Technique: Photogravure on original card mount
Maker: C.J. Kleingrothe, Medan, ca. 1910
Printer: J.B. Obernetter, München
