North America, United States, late 19th to early 20th century CE. An amazing collection of portrait photographs taken during the U.S.S. Narragansett cruise around the South Pacific from 1870 to 1873, and additional family portraiture from the ship Lieutenant George A. Calhoun. This album captures many different people and ethnicities in western and eastern garb, most posed. Included are photographs of the royal Hawaiian family including King Kalakaua, missionaries, dignitaries and other high-ranking officials from the islands and Asia. While many seem like serious portrayals of important people, many are much more relaxed and appear to be family and friends of George A. Calhoun. The photos are cut out and pasted to thick pages in a leather-bound album that dates from a later mid-20th century period. Historical portraits are always interesting, and there are some very striking figures in this album! Size: 14.6" L x 12" W (37.1 cm x 30.5 cm)
The most famous identifiable figure in the photographs is the last king of Hawaii, Kalakaua (David L'amea Kamananakapu Mahinulani Naloiaehuokalani Lumialani Kalakaua (1836 to 1891) He was known as "the Merrie Monarch," although serious in these photos, he certainly has a kind face! He was proficient at the ukulele and one of the most revered rulers and his reign was considered to be a time of Hawaiian Renaissance. This is a rare glimpse of the ruler, his family, and advisors. Another identifiable figure is Curtis Pi'ehu Iaukea (1855 to 1940) a court official and diplomat to King Kalakaua.
George A. Calhoun (1849 to 1897) was a midshipman and later lieutenant on the U.S.S. Narragansett. This sloop had been used by the Union in the American Civil War. She was decommissioned after service in the Gulf of Mexico in 1869, before her final cruise of the South Pacific (1871 to 1875). This cruise was intended to survey steamer routes as well as establishing diplomatic ties and gain further knowledge of the pacific islands for any future use. The eventual American military bases on Samoa and Guam, were likely direct results of the information gathered by the Narragansett. The ship arrived in Sydney Australia in 1873 before making the return journey back to California. A few photos in the back have handwritten dates including 1895 and a tomb with 1885.
This piece has been searched against the Art Loss Register database and has been cleared. The Art Loss Register maintains the world's largest database of stolen art, collectibles, and antiques.
Provenance: private Hawaii, USA collection, acquired from 1995 to 2010
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#166534
Condition
Water damage, staining and discoloration to pages, but all pages are attached to binding. Fading and creasing to photos from age and water. Some photos are missing from the pages or slightly loose. Album book is mid-20th century while the rest of the photos are 19th to early 20th century.