THREE GIRLS IN PRETTY KIMONOS AT A FLOWER SHOW IN YOKOHAMA

This fine old stereoview is just one of almost 2000 images amassed by a lesser-known Stereoview publisher in Yokohama circa 1907-08.

 

The negatives appear to have been contributed by a few unidentified 3-D photographers, and, over a time span of a few years (under different labels and variant numbering --- and sometimes the lack of it), the publisher(s) distributed these images via their own and other non-studio, "souvenir shop" venues.

 

Although I believe many of the images to be less-than-perfect "seconds" from T. Enami's un-cataloged negative stock, the technical quality of both the content and the hand-colored photo-finishing was below that of Enami's published catalog views.

 

This unified effort by the (mostly) Yokohama-based photographers was probably inspired by the impending celebrations surrounding two things :

 

(1) The arrival of America's "Great White Fleet", as well as visits from the British Navy and other "powers that be".

 

(2) The 50th anniversary of the opening of Yokohama Port in 1909.

 

For both of these events, the sales potential for stereoviews was great. The expected hordes of foreign tourists --- already higher than usual following Japan's victory in the Russo-Japan War --- were the target of all those in the trinket, curio, silk, and photography trades.

 

The major retail distributors of these hand-made, hand-colored, real-photo stereoviews were the following :

 

(1) KINKODO --- A photographic supply house in Yokohama. ♥ www.flickr.com/photos/24443965@N08/2490309564/

 

Notice the obvious design connection between the above linked-to logo, and that of the next company....

 

(2) THE STEREOSCOPIC PHOTOGRAPHICAL ASSOCIATION OF JAPAN --- a Yokohama-based 3-D society of photographers who's names have (for now) been lost to history. However, as mentioned above, I assume that T. ENAMI was a member of the "club". ♥ www.flickr.com/photos/okinawa-soba/13428947325/

 

The above Association is not to be confused with the competing I.S.A -- The INTERNATIONAL STEREOSCOPE ASSOCIATION in Tokyo.

 

(2) KATSUGAKWAN --- A Tokyo Studio that was heavily into 3-D photography, and, like Enami, published their own line of stereoviews with their own labels. ♥ www.flickr.com/search/?w=24443965@N08&q=Katsugakwan

 

(4) TOKKIO --- better known for their coin-operated 3-D stereoviews placed in public venues all over the country (including as far south as OKINAWA !), this company augmented (or completely replaced) their own terrible 3-D views with the much better Stereoscopic Photograph views. ♥ www.flickr.com/photos/24443965@N08/2490309242/

 

By the way, TOKKIO also had a large stereoview catalog listing over 500 of the worst 3-D views ever made --- almost all of them were the most horribly photographed and processed images in the entire known universe.

 

Thus ends our short 3-D Photo-History lesson of the day. It's just one of hundreds of historical 3-D stories Japan has to tell from the Edo-Bakumatsu era, all the way to WW2... and beyond ~ !

 

Oh, I almost forgot to mention --- nice photo !

 

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RANDOM SOBA : www.flickriver.com/photos/24443965@N08/random/

Done