1901 Print Devil's Bridge Gotthard Railway Switzerland Reuss River XGN3

This is an original 1901 halftone print of The Devil's Bridge of the St. Gotthard Railway in Switzerland. The "Devil's Bridges" of the world are so named because of various legends that go with them. This one is no exception. It is said that the Reuss River was so difficult to cross that "a Swiss herdsman wished the devil would make a bridge" over it. "The devil appeared, but required that the soul of the first to cross would be given to him. The mountaineer agreed, but drove a goat across ahead of him, fooling his adversary. Angered by this sham, the devil fetched a rock with the intention of smashing the bridge, but an old woman drew a cross on the rock so the devil couldn't lift it anymore. The rock is still there, and in 1977, 300,000 Swiss francs were spent to move the 220 ton rock by 127m in order to make room for the new Gotthard road tunnel." (quoted from Wikipedia)

CONDITION

This 110+ year old Item is rated Near Mint / Very Fine. Light aging throughout. No creases. No natural defects. No surface rub. No tears. No water damage. Please note that there is print on the verso.

• Product Type: Original Halftone Print; Black / White
• Grade: Near Mint / Very Fine
• Dimensions: Approximately 3 x 3.25 inches; 8 x 8 cm
• Authentication: Serial-Numbered Certificate of Authenticity w/ Full Provenance
• Protection: Packaged in a custom archival sleeve with an acid-free black board (great for display, gift-giving, and preservation)

XGN3C01