[Rarebooks] FS: Japanese photographer's album, New Hampshire & Japan, 1912

[Bob Petrilla]

Japan and New England. PHOTOGRAPH ALBUM OF 185 VERNACULAR IMAGES TAKEN BY A
YOUNG JAPANESE GENTLEMAN IN NEW HAMPSHIRE, MASSACHUSETTS, AND MAINLY IN
JAPAN, 1912-1913. Original photograph album. This album contains 185
photographs tipped to 102 pages of heavy black stock, captioned and dated
in white ink. Leaf size is 7" x 10"; the average photograph size is 4" x
3.25". The spine of the album was deteriorated, so the covers have been
removed and placed into clear sleeves as have all the leaves, now housed in
a three-ring binder. Roughly the first third of the book is devoted to
photographs taken in New England; the middle third contains photographs
taken on a quick tour of Europe; and the final third comprises pictures
taken in Asia—a few in South Manchuria and Korea and the rest in Japan,
mostly near Kochi on Shikoku, many including the photographer's family
members.  Very Good.
In New England, we see a few pictures taken in “Pepple”, New Hampshire as
well as in Massachusetts: Boston Public Gardens; Lexington patriotic
parade; Nantucket; Jamaica Pond; Gloucester; and Lincoln. While he is in
New England, the photographer has many Japanese visitors including: Mr.
Shirae (pp.1 & 9); Miss Iku Saegusa, (p.4); “Mr. Tsuboi of Tokyo” (p. 4);
“Mr. K. Inouye of Osaka Public Library” and “Mr. Mori” (p. 7,), both seen
on the beach at Nantucket, and the latter, Mr. Mori, reappearing on pp. 19
and 20 (with a Mr. Hisada) and later, in Japan on p. 92; and “Mr. Nashima
on ‘S.S. Franconia’, Boston” (p. 26). All are wearing Western dress. His
friends/hosts(?) are American. Of particular interest in this New England
section of the album are photographs of “Our Magnolia Store”. Magnolia is a
small village in Gloucester, MA, and on p. 19, there is a photo of “Mr.
Mori and I / Our Magnolia Store ‘to be’/ May 26, 1912,” showing the two men
in front of an empty storefront,. A photo on page 20 (same date) shows
“Magnolia Store Just Built,/Mr. Mori [and] Mr. Hisada” [a clue to the
photographer's name?], depicting the same imposing, Spanish-style building,
with its large arched windows. Page 22 offers a shot of the photographer
himself “in the Magnolia Store” (Sept. 13, 1912), where various household
decorative items are displayed: lamps, dishware, etc. On p. 31, we see
“Miss Brackett, sales manager of our Magnolia store, Sept. 13, 1912”. Other
photographs show New York's Penn Station, Central Park, SS Saxonia, &c. ~~
The European part of this album begins on p. 37 with the title “ In England
1913” and including 10 pages of photographs of tourist destinations in
London and environs, two of which (at Hampton Court) include a “Mr.
Shimizu”. On p. 44, the label is “In France 1913” (8 pages of sights,
mostly in Paris and Versailles). Next comes “In Brussels, Belgium, 1913” (4
pages) followed by “In Berlin, Germany, 1913” (3 pages). ~~ The Asian
portion of the journey starts on p. 60 in “South Manchuria, 1913”, and
these 2 ½ pages include photos of “Friends on Trans-Siberian Train,
Tetsurei, Manchuria, Feb. 28 1913" (eight men, mostly Asian) and a
photograph taken in Korea “Soul [sic] Keijyo, Korea (Nandaiman)”: a street
scene. By page 63, the photographer is “In Japan, 1913”, where he remains
for the rest of the album. He opens with a shot of “the staff of Yamanakas/
Main House/Osaka, March 26, 1913” (6 men and a young boy, most in kimonos,
plus himself). Two photos in Kyoto follow (same date), and a scene of many
people crossing a bridge, labeled “Yoshino River, Yamato, April 19, 1913”.
Many of the remaining photographs were taken in and around Kochi, including
Tosa, Nahari, Kagami-gawa, and the beach at Katsurahama. In these pictures,
Japanese relatives are in traditional dress. An early photo on p. 66 is
labeled “Ah! My sister! Ushi-o-ye, near Kochi, March 29, 1913” and shows a
tombstone. This is accompanied by a second photo showing a Japanese couple
with a boy (his nephew Sho-chan?) labeled “Memory of our visit to the
sister’s grave, Ushioye”. Other photos depict “father, Sister and Shigeki”
(p. 78), “Father and Mother…under the pine tree” (p. 81), “Father, Mother,
Sister and Shigeki” (p. 82), “Sisters” ( p. 68), showing two girls,
“Shidzu-ka (a toddler) (p. 83, 100, etc.), the “Shikamoros” (woman holding
baby, with young girl), “Yoshi-chan’s friends” showing Mrs. Shikamoro (?)
and two children + a young man in uniform (p. 84), “My three brothers” (p.
88), “Kinji Brother” (p. 90), “Dear Kinji, Yoshi-chan [a brother], and
Sho-chan” (nephew, son of Kinji?) (p. 93), etc. Removed were photos of
“Uncle” Machida and “Aunt” (p. 76). There are also photographs of family
friends (e.g.,“Mrs. Miyaji and her daughter and son”), and business
associates including “Mr. Kaneda of Y & Co.” (p. 79) and “Mr. Yokabe and
Mr. Ida of Y & Co.” (p. 80). The family is seen at the beach, on picnics,
at a “goodbye party” for someone, at various shrines and parks, etc. These
photographs of Japanese also include a few featuring “Dr. H. Packard of
Boston” (pp. 92 and 97). The final group of photographs were taken at Mt.
Yoshino, Hiyoshi Shrine in Shiga, Mt. Hiei in Shiga, Wakanoura in Wakayame
prefecture, Hamadera Beach, Tennoji, Mino Park, Maikono-hama Beach and
Tannowa, all in the Osaka area, and many feature his various family
members.    $850.00

Trade discount 20%, postpaid in US



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