U.S. Navy, Asiatic Fleet - China - Pre-WWII

U.S. Navy, Asiatic Fleet - Far East/China, Pre-World War II. Vintage photo album compiled by an unidentified officer of the United States Asiatic Fleet during the first half of the 20th Century. The album features a black Leatherette bound cover with the titles "U.S.N. Asiatic Fleet," "Memory of my China Cruise," "China," "Japan," "Hawaii," and "Philippine" plus images of the Great Seal of the United States, an Asiatic Fleet anchor, dragon, ric-shaw, pagoda and sanpan etched and raised on its front. Finished size of 11 x 14.5 inches.

The oblong folio contains authentic, vintage, gelatin silver print snapshots and a few period postcards, 136 pieces in total, all in fine condition affixed to black heavy weight matte stock complete with colored, pressed dust cover papers. Subjects include landscapes, architecture, agriculture, local culture showing public executions, farming, fishing and cock fighting, boats, ships and ports plus Chinese and American seamen in candid and professional situations including a 'burial at sea' funeral. Also contains a series of blank unused pages.

Also included is a candid shot of U.S. Navy officers at the Hollywood Cafe (housed in Hollywood Cafe souvenir card folio), an 8 x 10 photograph of the group, marked on its verso with a hand stamp stating: "Photographic Department / U.S. Maritime Service Training Station / Fort Trumbull, New London, Conn." and a printed "warning" graphic.