CABINET PHOTOGRAPHS OF JAPANESE WOMEN: A GROUP OF TEN EARLY HAND-COLORED ALBUMEN

[Japan nd. ca. 1880's]. A very clean group of 10 gilt-edge cabinet photographs, 13.5 x 9 cm., each mounted on a stiff card, slightly curved as usual, no fading, solid, clean,nice group, hand-tinted colored. EXCELLENT GROUP OF RARE EXAMPLES . *** **** *** . . SUPERB GROUP OF 10 HAND-TINTED ALBUMEN CABINET PHOTOGRAPHS . . . DEPICTING WOMEN & GIRLS IN DAILY ACTIVITIES . . . THE MEIJI PERIOD [1867-1912] . * This group of photographs is nicely done, very sharp images, with unusual and delicately hand-coloring. . As usual, the red is a bit heavy, expressing a new use for the imported aniline dye. . All photographs are excellent examples, very clear, clean and strong images, one has some of the typical fading. Each photo is mounted on a stiff card with gilt edges, with the usual slight curve, which happens after a photograph is laid down. There is a feint stain to a few in the margin, the images are not affected. . The back sides are clean, a bit dusty, else no issues. . . *** . THE IMAGES: . Vertical format: . 1. Kimono clad girl playing the Tsutsumi drum. . 2. Standing girl modeling a thick winter "Tanzen" Kimono. A bit of usual fading. . 3. Two Kimono clad girls: one stands with a fan, the other sits on the floor, legs extended with a tea bowl. . 4. Kimono clad girl sits by her sewing box, with a quilt nearby. There is a small spot in the background center near the top. . 5. A young woman poses for the camera, elaborately dressed in four layers of Kimono for winter. . 6. A young girl kneels holding a "shuttle cock" [ a kind of badminton"] for New Years, in her winter Kimono. . Horizontal format: . 7. Two girl entertainers: one stands with in a fan pose, the other sits playing the Shamisen, both wear elaborate silk Kimono. . 8. Two girls meet and bow a greeting, each in Kimono, in a studio staged pose. . 9. A young woman poses for the camera, elaborately dressed in four layers of Kimono for winter. . 10. Posed view of two girls in a Rickshaw, with 2 male coolies pulling, nice studio scene. . *** All girls sport lavish coiffeurs, some with flowers, or other decorations. Each wears the traditional Japanese Kimono, with Obi [central tie], and several Kimono under garments. A very nice insight to early Japanese femininity and costume. . *** Color photos are posted to our website. . * .