Eric Chaim Kline, Bookseller

Eric Chaim Kline, Bookseller

Unique Photo-Album Documenting an American Navy Serviceman's Time in China and the Philippines, While Serving Aboard the USS Monadnock [W/ 83 SILVER GELATIN PHOTOGRAPHS]

1904-1905. Hardcover. Oblong duodecimo. 26 double-sided heavy stock leporello leaves (52 pages containing a total of 83 photographs). Original brown lacquered boards, in a Chinese-style leporello binding, with hand-painted illustrated covers, containing figures on the front cover, which heads made of ivory, laid in (the second figure's head is missing).

This unique album contains a total of 83 mounted silver gelatin photographs, taken by an unidentified American sailor or naval officer, between 1904 and 1905, while serving aboard the U.S.S. Monadnock (BM-3), which was a noted member of the US Asiatic Fleet during the late 19th and early 20th century. The larger images measure approx. 6 1/2 x 4 1/4 and the smaller images measure approx 3 x 4 1/4". Some pages contain 2 images, and many contain handwritten captions in ink, in English, near the bottom edges of the images. We have been able to establish that the photographs were taken between 1904 and 1905, however because only one image is dated, a more clear and detailed chronology and order for the album cannot be certain.

The USS Monadnock (BM-3) was an Amphitrite class monitor war ship, first launched in 1883. It notably took part in the Spanish–American War (1898) and the Philippine–American War (1899-1902). Later the ship continued as a part of the US Asiatic Fleet, where it was based in the Philippines, until 1909. This photo album documents the period in the ship's history between 1904 -1905. Numerous images here were taken from the deck of the ship, with many candid shots showing members of the crew posing for photos, goofing around, having fun, and participating in firing drills.

Included in this album are numerous images of other prominent ships in the US Asiatic Fleet at the time: USS New Orleans (CL-22), USS Oregon (BB-3), USS Mohican (1883), USS Pensacola (1859), USS Wisconsin (BB-9) and the USS Cincinnati (C-7), many of which also previously participated in the the Philippine–American War, and where based there. The ships of the fleet were based mostly in the Philippines during the period, and many images here reflect that point. Shown in the album are images of Manila (including the seventh version of the famed Manilla Cathedral and the Passig River), Cavite (including the US Naval yard, captured Spanish guns, and a ruined church), and the area of San Roque. A notable series of 9 photographs showing a Fourth of July parade in Manila (dated 1905). Other un-captioned images show Filipino locals in street and village scenes.

The album relates, in part, to the Russo-Japanese War (1904–1905); a number of the images here show prominent Russian war ships which took part in that conflict. The three prominent Russian cruisers Aurora, Oleg and Zhemchug which participated in the Battle of Tsushima (May, 1905), the final naval battle of the war, are shown in the album. The ships were damaged but remained afloat, and managed to escape the battle, sailing to the neutral port of Manila, where they were interned by the United States Navy until the end of the war. The Russian cruiser Askold, which was one of the most active participants in the War (including the Battle of Port Arthur) took heavy damage during the Battle of the Yellow Sea (August 1904), but managed to survive and escape the Japanese fleet to Shanghai, where the boat and it's crew was photographed and shown in this album.

One of the jobs of members of the US Asiatic Fleet (including the Monadnock) during this period was to protect the Port of Shanghai and patrol the waters at the mouth of the Yangtze River. For this reason, there are a significant number of images of China. These include images of the port area of Shanghai, and some striking street scenes as well. One image of a Chinese merchant is captioned "Old Jim and his smile." Also present are images showing areas of the Yangtze river around what us now the modern city Zhenjieng. At some point the crewmen took shore leave and visited locations around the area of Nanjing. Images show temples, fields, and farmers in the area, and include a number striking photographs of the Xiao Mausoleum (Ming Xiaoling), here listed as the "Ming Tombs". It should be noted that the this area with its massive carved animal sculptures appears vastly different than it does today. We also have a few images taken in Hong Kong, from a number of noted visits to the city by the Monadnock. One image shows the Tramway, one shows the boat at the flooding of the dry dock in Kowloon, and a third shows a soccer (football) game between British troops and the Monadnock crew.

Other notable images show naval officers engaging in a mock sword duel and another shows the entrance to the harbor at Guam, visited by the ship during one of its trans-Pacific voyages.

Lacquer boards with a six inch by half an inch long chip along top of front cover, not affecting figurative depiction with some small chips along edges of front and back cover, here a three inch scratch at lower left corner. As previously stated the ivory head of one of the figures on the front cover is missing. Interior with a few minor smudges to the edges of pages, with most images still quite clean and vibrant. Binding in good +, interior in very good+ condition overall. Very good condition. Item #47113

Price: $2,750.00

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