An Original Art Work together with the Completed Printed Lithographic Poster by G.M.R.
Hong Kong. The South China Morning Post Ltd., (circa 1924). Stock ID #170069 Even though we have extensively researched this poster published by the South China Morning Post in Hong Kong, there remains the possibility that this event could have taken place either in Cercle Sportif in Saigon or in Shanghai. When referring to this item please quote stockid 170069.
A fund raising poster in aid of World War I war orphans and children's charities organised by the Ministering Children's League at the Cercle Sportif (Shanghai?) or (Saigon?) Saturday April 12th at 3pm. (1924) 76 x 50.5cm.
The original art work is in pencil and ink on tracing paper, with some art work pasted down. It is fascinating to see the work in progress compared with the finished poster which is printed in black - on fragile paper, but in very good condition. Original works from East Asia at this time are extremely scarce because of their ephemeral nature.
Cercle Sportif Français,- Shanghai. 1926 Rue Cardinal Mercier, French Concession.
Known universally as the "French Club", this building was the home of Shanghai's most popular social and sporting clubs. Unlike the stuffier Shanghai Club and the American Club, this was the most cosmopolitan club in town, even extending its membership to women (quelle horreur!); although to balance this madness, female membership was limited to 40. The club featured a roof-top terrace (for summer dances), restaurants, a ballroom, restaurants, bars, billiards room and games room. For the more active, there was a huge swimming pool and twenty tennis courts.
The clubhouse was designed by Shanghai's leading French architects Alexandre Leonard and Paul Veysseyre of Leonard, Veysseyre et Kruze in the French Renaissance style.
Cercle Sportif Saigon: The rebuilt Cercle Sportif Saïgonnais at 55 rue Chasseloup-Laubat was inaugurated on 5 December 1925 at “a brilliant reception attended by the Governor of Cochinchina and key notables of the colony.”
According to a press release issued on 31 January 1926 by the Agence économique de l’Indochine, the Cercle’s upgraded facilities included “10 tennis courts, a football field with spectator stands (which may rarely be found in France) and comfortable buildings with rooms for fencing, billiards, games and reading, a dance hall, and vast changing rooms.” It concluded: “Saigon now has a club worthy of the colony, which can easily be compared with those in Shanghai, Hong Kong or Singapore.”
The Ministering Children's League was founded by the Countess of Meath, in her London house, 83, Lancaster Gate, February 10, 1885. It owed its inception to the deep impression made upon Lady Meath, about a child, by M. L. Charles-worth's delightful story, "Ministering Children." The idea of the book haunted her, and she determined to form a society under that name.
A small children's league, thus started in a London parish, would spread until it encircled the globe. It travelled quickly through the parishes of England, was welcomed in Scotland and Ireland, and crossed the Atlantic and rooted itself in the United States and in Canada. It had flourishing branches in Australia, South Africa, New Zealand, and Tasmania, and has penetrated to India, China, and Japan. As an international organisation, it had no distinction of race, colour, or creed.
Price: $1,750.00 AU