Cabinet Card of Hiram Everest in Kobe Presumably with Vacuum Oil Co. staff
[Japan] Hiram Bond Everest (1830-1913) founded the Vacuum Oil Company in the US in 1866. This photo shows him in Kobe along with Esther Everest, who is presumably one of his daughters. They are with a group of Western and Japanese people who most likely worked for the company in their Kobe office which was established in 1894. The Japan Directory for 1896 lists 6 Western employees, namely H.E. Daunt (Manager), W.H. Jackson, C. Wahling, A. Hansen, H.S. Breen, and A.H. Collins. It would seem highly likely that four of them are in the photo. Inscribed on rear, 'Hiram B Everest, Esther Everest 1897'. Daunt published a pioneering series of books on Japanese mountaineering titled 'Inaka', under the pseudonym 'The Bell Goat'.
Kobe. Y[asumitsu] Kojima. 1897.
10 x 13.9cm.
In very good condition. Slight loss of contrast. Two x's have been written indicating Everest and Esther. Otherwise very good. p36111726
