Japanese Photograph Album with Unusual Provenance.

Japan: N.p., [ca. 1910]. Oblong octavo (8 1/2 x 6 1/4 inches) with a total of 25 stiff leaves mounted to stubs. Each leaf has a window on each side, all bearing original photographs or early postcards. All windows have printed floral borders. There is total of 23 original albumen and silver gelatin photographs (many hand-colored) and 27 very early Japanese postcards (again some with hand coloring). Contemporary padded burgundy morocco with gilt cover lettering, floral endpapers. A few of the window frames with a tear, rear joint of album starting but still strong. An unusual gathering of material.The majority of the photographs are of women and most of them are hand colored. The two most interesting postcards of battle scenes from the Russo-Japan war with captions in English and Japanese. There is also a rather rare photograph of Yoshiwara, the famous prostitute section of Tokyo. The women in Yoshiwara are all behind bars (as usual). There are a couple of books about Yoshiwara but precious few postcards. The seeming obsession with Japanese women is likely explained by the fact that this album was almost surely assembled by a sailor in the German Navy.The two most interesting photographs in the album are of German naval personnel riding horses in the countryside of Japan. These are rather confusing as Japan is justifiably famous for it's unwelcoming posture toward foreigners, especially mere naval soldiers of no great distinction. But all becomes clear when we read the name of their ship on their cap: SMS Hansa. The Hansa served in the East Asia Squadron during the Boxer Rebellion of 1900 along with SMS Hertha, SMS Iltis and SMS Gefion bombarded the Taku Forts. Her sailors then took part in the successful storming of the forts. During the Russo-Japanese War, SMS Hansa (along with the protected cruiser SMS Furst Bismarck, the gun boats SMS Tiger and SMS Luchs and the cruisers Hertha and Geier) took part in the forcible internment of the Russian battleship Tsesarevich and three destroyers at Tsingtao in 1904. SMS Hansa was a protected cruiser of the Victoria Louise class launched in 1898. As a gesture of appreciation the Japanese government probably allowed a number of the sailors to travel the country. abaa-ny-2022