Background
Alary & Geiser was a photographic firm of long standing in Algiers. The business was possibly begun by Lucien-Jacob Geiser
(1810-1852), an ébeniste by trade, who immigrated to Algeria from Switzerland with his wife Julie and three sons in 1850.
Jean-Baptiste Antoine Alary (1810-c. 1867), an early daguerreotypist, probably became involved with the business after the
death of Geiser père. Eventually the youngest Geiser son, Jean-Théophile (1848-1923) became involved with the business, running
it into the 1920s.