Heck, they believed in the PILTDOWN MAN, around the same time, as well.
You’re right, those photos were taken as authentic at the time. I often wonder if people then had a different sense of evidence than we do today. Perhaps we are more sceptical generally, but then I think about all of our modern conceits which require us to believe in things just as ridiculous as fairys.
Yes, they are.
I’d be willing to bet the hammer price is going blow away the pre-sale estimate.