Description

SCARCE PHOTOGRAPHS OF CHINA DURING THE 1930S

CHINA. Photograph album of China, Manchuria and Mongolia. No place, circa 1933. Oblong octavo, original coated black cloth, cloth tie.

Fascinating and scarce collection of 180 photographs of China.

The 1930s were a time of civil war in China with various regional warlords battling for power, as well as a time of rising tensions with Japan, ultimately culminating in full-scale war. This photo album contains images from various regions of China during a time of relative calm before the storm. Areas pictured include the Shandong Peninsula (here called Shantung), Manchuria, Mongolia, Soochow and Shenyang. Subjects pictured include whaling, dancing, religious festivals, yurts, bandits, railroads, logging, dwellings, musical instruments, Buddhist lamas in Mongolia, coal mining, logging, rivers, street scenes, soldiers, royal families, officials and a red light district. Each photo includes a lengthy printed description of its subject matter in English. Each photograph and description is individually mounted on black paper leaves.

Only lightest wear. A near-fine collection of scarce and unusual photographs.