Collection consists of five albums of photos from Meiji period Japan including a few photos from Scotland, one album of photos from China, and two lacquer-framed photographs. It consists mostly of albumen hand-coloured Japanese photographs. These Japanese photographs belong to the genre known as souvenir photography or Yokohama photography. The subject of these photographs in this collection echoed those found in the Japanese ukiyo-e prints of the so-called “floating-world” of the late Edo Period, from around 1780 until the 1860s. The delicate hand colouring of the albumen silver prints is one of the characteristics of photographs of Japan from this period.
There were mainly two media to disseminate souvenir photos from Yokohama during Meiji period (1868 –1912): photo prints and lantern slides (see the James Davidson collection), but other materials were also used. These hand tinted photo prints were usually bound in albums with lacquer covers lavishly decorated in makie (蒔絵), a technique of applying adhesive metal such as gold and silver or colour powder in soft lacquer to create designs.
Fonds consists of photographs that mainly document bombings in Shanghai by military forces from Japan in 1937. It is likely that the photographs of two bombing incidents were taken when Victor was a member of the Shanghai Volunteer Corps. The images show the devastation caused by the bombings including streetscapes and details of blown out buildings and dismembered casualties. Other photographs at the beginning of the album are postcards of Shanghai in its heyday before the bombings. Textual documents are from the 1930s and 1940s and include registration cards, a birthday card, a passport as well as identification cards of Victor, Valentina and Elizabeth.
Image depicts a large Tibetan building, possibly a temple or a monastery. Traditional Tibetan architectural features visible here include a structure with multiple windows to let in sunlight and a flat roof to preserve heat. These dwellings are often constructed with a combination of wood, rocks, cement, and earth. Several figures are seated in front of this dwelling near a row of drums.
Image depicts several individuals dressed in regalia and performing what may be the Black Hat Dance. This dance is taking place in front of the building depicted in images a033048-a033049 and a033054-a033060.
Image depicts several individuals dressed in regalia dancing what may be the Black Hat dance. Also visible on the left side of the print are several seated men wearing what may be Buddhist monk's robes. This dance is taking place outside a large building that may be a monastery or temple.
Image depicts another view of dancing what may be the Black Hat Dance in front of a building that may be a Buddhist monastery or temple. Also visible are some large drums, which may be played for this dance.
Image depicts a distant view of several individuals dancing what may be the Black Hat Dance in front of a building that may be a Tibetian Buddhist monastery or temple.
Image depicts four seated men wearing regalia that indicates they are probably Tibetian Buddist monks. They sit on the ground outside a building that may be a monastery or temple.
Image depicts several men wearing robes that suggest they are Tibetian Buddhist monks. They are standing in a courtyard outside a large building and may be dancing.
