This photographic series consists of pictures collected by the Association during its existence (1876-1993). Of particular interest is the documentation regarding certain factories and textile companies and the Textile Exhibition held in Biella in 1936.

The collection of pictures by Umberto Balestreri document the reconnaissance trip to Karakorum in 1928 and the stages of the expedition to K2 in 1929, led by Aimone of Savoy, Duke of Spoleto, recording the failed attempt to conquer the second highest summit in the world. There are over 640 pictures altogether.

Giovanni Bertoglio, in his role as editor of the monthly magazine “Rivista Mensile” of the C.A.I., collected numerous pictures by various photographers which are organised according to geographical region and mountain range.

The collection preserves about seven hundred pictures taken by Vittorio Besso (1828-1895) illustrating the recently united Italian territory, first with photos taken in the areas of the former Kingdomof Savoy, Piedmont and Aosta Valley, later with landscapes of Lombardy, Tuscany and Lazio.

The photos taken by Ester Ravelli Bickley and by her daughter Olga, illustrate nearly a century of family life and travels. Subjects include Biella, Vercelli, Cornigliano, Alassio, Genoa, Latte, Rome, Venice, Tuscany, Northern Europe, England, Greece, Libya, Constantinople, Asia and New Zealand. Of particular interest are the pictures documenting the activities of the Ansaldo Workshops of Genoa.

The Sella Foundation preserves about forty plates, in particular of the Alps of the Biellese and the Aosta Valley and groups of climbers, as well as the photographs submitted to the winter mountain photography competition organised in Biella by the T.C.I. in collaboration with the Biella section of the C.A.I., where Luigi Borsetti was awarded a prize.

Elizabeth Burnaby Main Le Blond Hawkins-Whitshed produced more than 600 prints about forty of which are preserved by the Foundation, all illustrating the mountains and glaciers of Switzerland.

Over 300 pictures taken by Riccardo Cassin document the reconnaissance expedition to K2 in 1953, the year before the conquest of the summit by the Italian expedition under the leadership of Ardito Desio.

The pictures were taken by Alfredo Corti for the magazines of the Italian Alpine Club and document in particular the Dolomites, the Bernina, Disgrazia, Adamello and the Gran Paradiso.

Over one hundred pictures by Mor (Maurice) de Déchy preserved at the Sella Foundation chiefly document the valleys and indigenous populations of Bosnia-Herzegovina, while about thirty were taken in the Alps and in the Caucasus.