(W. W. Lewis, J. E. Clem, R. Mitsuda). Photograph Albums [Five] of Tour of Japan and China with focus on Hydro-Electric Power Plants [General Electric Interest] Also Hawaii, Geisha, Kyoto, Tokyo, Tokyo Electrotechnical Laboratory, Shanghai, Cross Dressing, Shanghai. [Japan]: [No Publisher], 1925.

A collection of five photo albums (dated 1922-1925) of an extended tour of Japan and China. American electrical engineers from General Electric visiting their Japanese counterparts and the hydro-electric power plants of Japan. Exquisite photos of early 1920’s Japanese and Chinese culture, people, landscape and historical architecture. Five albums: Printed cloth over hard boards. Bound with ribbon. Heavy wheat colored cloth depicting a diagonal repeating scene of a colorful medieval procession; Japanese calligraphy is repeated throughout the print. All albums have slight fading on front cover; back cover retains original coloring in cloth pattern: black lettering and outlined figures in colored dress: crimson, teal, and blue on wheat colored fabric of a tight weave. All books show some wearing on edges to cloth cover (some fraying, and some corners bare of cloth); otherwise in excellent condition.* (Japan Book II has detached back cover). Two large 14” x 10.5” albums: (“Japan” albums I & II); two smaller 11.25” x 8.5” albums: (“China” albums I & II); and one 10.5” x 7” album: (“Power Plants 1922-1925”). Black and white photographs mounted on blank black leaves and captioned in a neat hand. The photographs are in excellent condition, beautifully photographed and composed, and expertly developed. Album: “Japan Book I” (1922) total of 178 black & white photographs ranging in size from 2 ” x 3 ” to 5 ” x 3 . The album includes photographs of these locations: Hawaii, Waikiki Beach; Yokohama Harbor; Kamakura (shrines, including The Great Buddha of Kamakura); Kyoto; Lake Biwa; Kiso River; Mt. Fuji; Miyaoshita; and Osaka. Numerous photos of Japanese in traditional dress including numerous examples of Geisha; as well as peasants in traditional dress. Many posed and candid photos of people at work. Excellent documentation of clothing both formal and every day, including footwear and head dressing; vehicles, cars, bicycles, handcarts, ships, traditional Japanese fishing sailboats, fishing vessels, etc. Photographs of the 1922 “Gion Matsuri” - the festival of Yasaka Shrine, is the most famous festival in Japan, including photos of the giant floats. Excellent photos of architecture and landscape; many photos of cormorant fishing (River Nagara); Geisha tea ceremony and dancing; Book 1 contains numerous photos of the Empress of Canada, the British ship that will help with the rescue after the 1923 earthquake and tsunami which devastates Japan (photos of the aftermath of the earthquake are contained in “Japan Book II”). Album: “Japan Book II” (1922-1923) total of 124 black & white photographs ranging in size from 2 ” x 3 ” to 4”x3” to 8”x10”. *detached back cover. Also: a 24” fold-out map from a publication: “Mt. Fuji from the Five Lakes;” 11 Christmas Card Postcards (writing on back but all glued in) and numerous other post cards: 12 from hotels. Includes scenes of Kyoto; Yokohama; Tokyo; Mount Fuji and Nikko; Photo subjects include: historic architecture; temples, traditional Japanese home life including sleeping quarters; street scenes; rice patties; and rice threshing; peasants at work; domestic scenes; a sumo wrestler; and wealthy Japanese in both western and traditional clothing. Several photos captioned with the names of all in the photo including one from 1922 at Tokyo’s famed “Maple Club” (Koyokan); as well as the members of the Tokyo Electrotechnical Laboratory (1922) headed my R. Mitsuda (who figures prominently in this album). Photos of Waseda University campus and numerous photos of Dr. R. Mitsuda of the Imperial Electrotechnical Bureau of Tokyo. Also in this album: Photographs taken in the immediate aftermath of the September 1923 Great Kanto Earthquake. Book 2 becomes more personal in nature in the final pages - pictures are from various cameras, dates, and types of photograph; including more family groups such as the “Kikuchi Family” (1960); the family of “R. Mitsuta” (fully captioned with names and relationships; taken in Japan, 1947); a page titled “visit of Tammy Iwahira in 1936” with 2 photos of the group listed by last name; and photos captioned: “Dr. Niwa, W.W.Lewis, and Dr. Gato at Union college, Sept 1954.” Album: “Power Plants 1922-1925” total of 75 black & white photographs ranging in size from 2 ” x 3” to 3 ” x 5 Photographs of numerous major hydroelectric power plants throughout Japan: Daido; Shinyetsu; Nakatsugawa; Keihin Denryoku; including extensive and detailed pictures of construction which show manual laborers (including Koreans) toiling using primitive methods. Some photos credited to J. E. Clem (well-known U.S. electrical engineer with G. E.). An article written by W. W. Lewis, (who is prominently featured in many of the photos throughout the five-album collection) is found in the July 1923 General Electric Review entitled: “Power Developments in Japan;” original photographs in this album cover much of what is discussed in the 1923 article, which would have gone to print during the time that this G.E. group was in Japan and China. (cont.) Album: “Power Plants 1922-1925” (cont.) Walter W. Lewis spent almost 40 years as an engineer at the General Electric Company, where he specialized in the design and protection of transmission lines, and became known as an authority in the field. He was an Honorary Member of the Japanese Institute of Electrical Engineers, having spent seven months in Japan as a lecturer while with GE, and later as a representative of the U.S. State Department. It is speculated that these five photo albums were made during W. W. Lewis’ time as a lecturer in Japan. Album: “China Book I” total of 89 black & white photographs ranging in size from 2 ” x 3” to 3 ” x 5 ” Includes: Seoul; Mukben, China; and Peking. In Peking photos of a local wedding and a funeral; rickshaws; the Rockefeller Institute; and temples. Rare photos of the Forbidden City prior to the 1924 coup which evicted the last emperor. The “Boy King” abdicated after the Chinese Revolution of 1912, but continued to live in the Forbidden City until he was expelled by a military coup on November 5, 1924 (when portions of the Royal quarters and compound were turned into a museum). Album: “China Book II” total of 47 black & white photographs ranging in size from 2 ” x 3” to 3 ” x 5 ” also 3 photo postcards of the Buddha Lama Temple Subjects include: The Great Wall (which includes photographs of: beggars, tradesmen and workers; “Mongol Brigands;” and the “pullman” of the Great Wall). As well as photographs of Shanghai. A section labeled, “Miscellaneous” has several interesting and rare photographs: Mandarins in traditional dress; a camel caravan; women with bound feet; a sea-going junk; and a group of six young men in female dress, hair, and makeup, standing looking at the camera (no explanation but captioned: “The Pride of China”).

Price: $3,250.00