Japanese Business Card Album
[Japan]. (circa 1939). Stock ID #180510 An album of Japanese name cards collected in the late 1930s, apparently by Bruce Rogers, who held a post at the University of Oregon. The name cards, which are organized roughly in alphabetical order in a purpose-made album, offer a fascinating insight into the network of contacts of a western resident in prewar Japan. They include cards presented to Rogers by journalists, academics, businesspeople, diplomats and others. Though quite a number of his contacts are Americans or other foreigners, the majority are Japanese. There are three cards from George Albert Makinson (1886-1972) and his wife, presented at the time when Makinson was US Consul General in Osaka (a post he took up in1938, and a card presented by Parliamentary Lower House member Honda Yoshinari (1871-1952). Some of the cards include inscriptions thanking Rogers for hospitality, and one particularly interesting one is inscribed with a message of introduction from a Japanese acquaintance asking for Rogers to be allowed to be present during an air-raid drill in Tokyo (an omen of the approaching war). When referring to this item please quote stockid 180510.
103 name or business cards mounted on 17 window-faced card leaves (a little faded and a few tears) in an album 26.2 x 18.3 cm; green linen boards, gilt decorated spine (a little chipped and rubbed), but in remarkable original condition.
Price: $600.00 AU