Kimbei Kusakabe photograph album with costumes, portraits, occupations, and views of Japan, between 1885-1890

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Summary

Creator:
Kusakabe, Kinbē, 1841-1932
Abstract:
Large souvenir folio album from the Yokohama studio of Japanese photographer Kimbei Kusakabe, featuring 100 hand-tinted albumen prints on original mounts, most with title labels in English. Also included are the highly decorated black lacquer covers and original presentation box. Most of the prints measure approximately 8 1/8 x 10 3/8 inches; the mounts are sized 10 1/4 x 14 inches. Images were designed to appeal to tourists, and portray crafts and trades; rice cultivation; tea houses; hotels, gardens, temples, and other scenes, mostly in Kyoto, but also including Kobe, Yamato, Nagasaki, and Arima. Portraits of people include: geishas bathing, playing musical instruments, and dressing; Samurais and Sumo wrestlers; rural inhabitants; a physician; a rickshaw and passengers; a funeral; and numerous other subjects typical of these albums. A few of the prints are attributed to other photographers, notably Baron Raimund von Stillfried. Acquired as part of the Archive of Documentary Arts at Duke University.
Extent:
3.5 Linear Feet (3 boxes)
Language:
Materials in English
Collection ID:
RL.11696

Background

Scope and content:

This souvenir folio album from the studio of Japanese photographer Kimbei, or Kinbē, Kusakabe (1841-1932) features 98 hand-colored albumen prints mounted two to a page and originally bound accordion-style, and two additional prints mounted inside the lacquer covers.

The photographic scenes were designed to appeal to tourists, and portray people working at crafts and trades; rice cultivation; tea houses, hotels, gardens, temples, landscapes, and other scenes, mostly in Kyoto, but also including Kobe, Nagasaki, Hone, Yamato, and Arima. Portraits of people include geishas bathing, playing musical instruments, and dressing; samurai warriors and sumo wrestlers; rural people; a physician; a rickshaw and passengers; a funeral; and numerous other subjects typical of these albums. Some of the images have been positively or tentatively attributed to other photographers, notably Baron Raimund von Stillfried.

Most of the photographs bear printed title labels in English. The print mounts measure roughly 10 1/4 x 13 1/4 inches; most of the prints measure roughly 8 3/8 x 10 3/8 inches. Only a handful bear number identifiers but many have been taken from online prints in other collections and from a published studio list, circa 1893.

Included in the collection and housed separately are the original highly decorated black lacquer album covers with ivory and gold relief depicting a man, woman, and small child in a fishing boat; housed in another box is the original embossed silk-lined and padded two-part box, with the photographer's commercial label in English and Japanese. The studio address is given as "Yokohama, 36 and 27 Benten-dori Nichome," dating this album to the period between 1885-1890.

Given its expensive quality, this commercial souvenir album is most likely a unique assemblage of images chosen from the studio list by the intended client, rather than a pre-assembled album.

For preservation purposes, the mounts were separated from the album covers and separately foldered in their original hinged-mount groupings. Color photographic copies of the two prints pasted on the inside covers are available in the last folder of the prints box.

Acquired as part of the Archive of Documentary Arts at Duke University.

Biographical / historical:

Kimbei, or Kinbē, Kusakabe (1841-1932) was a Japanese photographer who first learned the art as an assistant to European photographers Felice Beato and Baron Raimund von Stillfried. Kusakabe soon established his own studio and storefront in Yokohama, becoming a well-respected photographer as well as a souvenir print and photography supplies dealer, and later established a Tokyo branch. Over time he acquired negative stock and perhaps prints from several photographers, including his former mentor, Baron von Stillfried.

A published studio list from about 1893 documents over 2000 images, ranging from portraits of Japanese "types" to landscapes and landmarks in Japan. His photographic work was highly regarded and known for its subtlety and artistic composition.

Acquisition information:
The Kimbei Kusakabe photograph album with costumes, portraits, occupations, and views of Japan was received by the David M. Rubenstein Rare Book Manuscript Library as a purchase in 2015.
Physical facet:
100 hand-colored albumen prints on card stock mounts; 1 presentation box; 2 lacquer covers.
Rules or conventions:
Describing Archives: A Content Standard

Contents

Using These Materials

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Using These Materials

Restrictions:

Collection is open for research.

All of the components are fragile and delicate, and must be handled with staff supervision.

Terms of access:

Collection is in the public domain. For more information, consult the copyright section of the Regulations and Procedures of the David M. Rubenstein Rare Book & Manuscript Library.

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Preferred citation:

[Identification of item], Kimbei Kusakabe photograph album with costumes, portraits, occupations, and views of Japan, David M. Rubenstein Rare Book & Manuscript Library, Duke University.