Important Photo Album of expat life in Kobe owned by Virginia Lowery Pierson (Mrs. Frank Ball)
[Japan] Large, historically important photo album containing 53 photos of ex-pat life in Kobe, Japan in the mid-1890s. The album appears to have been compiled by Mrs. Virginia Lowery Pierson (1873-1949), who married Frank Pennington Ball (1868-1944) in 1894, the year they seem to have arrived in Kobe. Ball worked for the American Trading Co. and the couple appears to have lived in Japan until around 1897, the period covered by this interesting album. Whilst in Kobe, they also had a son named Grosvenor Lowery Ball who was born in 1895. Above the first photo is written, 'Japanese pictures of Mrs Virginia Lowery Pierson (then Mrs Frank Ball)'. The album contains a number of very nice scenic views of Kobe, the Kobe Club, a few of the 1896 Kobe flood, a couple of the 1897 celebrations held for Queen Victoria's Diamond Jubilee, a number of interior views of (almost certainly) their home at Nakayamate-dori 3-chome, and one smaller photo showing the couple with their Japanese staff at home. There is also one photo of what is almost certainly the American Trading Co. office in Kobe with Western and Japanese staff standing outside. There are also some very important, nice, sport-related photos including group images of the Yokohama Country & Athletic Club (YC&AC) teams for cricket and baseball, others presumably of the Kobe Regatta & Athletic Club (KR&AC) teams, cricket games in progress, and a soccer (football) match in progress as well. The couple appear to have left Japan around 1897 for China and later divorced.
The large format photos are all inserted into tipped-on paper corners so can be removed. The smaller photos are glued into the album.
48 large format and 5 small format photos.
In very good condition. One large photo has some damage and tear at lower right corner. Otherwise the album is in very good condition with only minor age wear and some stray marks. Most of the photos are very good quality with very nice contrast. p36111744
