Sailors of the interwar U.S. Navy often commissioned custom leather album covers like this one to preserve photographs from their years of service. This example, tooled and hand-painted with an eagle, ship's wheel, and a scene of the battleship USS Maryland (BB-46) at sea, reflects both personal pride and the popular leathercraft trade that flourished in port cities frequented by the fleet during the 1920s and 1930s. Project: 218412