University of Washington Libraries, Special CollectionsPH0570Ford, Helen LouiseHelen Ford collection
of T. Enami photographscirca 1925-1935384 lantern slides (11 boxes)Collection
materials are inEnglish.Hand-colored
lantern slides of Japan by T. Enami studioHelen Louise Ford (1877?-1957) was a wealthy San Francisco socialite
married to George Kidwell Ford. Mrs. Ford traveled the world during the late
1920s and 1930s.
Enami Nobukuni (1859-1929) was a professional photographer in
Yokohama, Kanagawa. Nobukuni apprenticed under Ogawa Isshin, one of Japan's
pioneer photographers who helped introduce dry-plate technology to Japan. Enami
had a studio on Benten-dori street in Yokohama from 1892-1929. The studio sold
scenic views of Japan and portraits of Japanese to tourists, in the form of
souvenir photo albums, stereographs, hand-colored lantern slides and prints.
Enami also opened studios in Hong Kong and the Philippines, and his images were
published and sold abroad, though often not attributed to him.
The name T. Enami is believed to be a trade name used by Nobukuni
which also suited the studio after it was taken over by his son Tamotsu; though
not a photographer himself, Tamotsu operated the studio until 1945, when the
studio was destroyed by American bombings of Yokohama.
Enami has been underrated by photo historians; only recently is his
importance as a photographer being realized.
The collection of hand-colored glass slides of Japan was assembled by
Mrs. Helen Ford. Mrs. Ford traveled the world during the late 1920s and 1930s
and first visited Japan in the Spring of 1933 on Theodore Rothman's world tour
aboard the Resolute . She returned to Japan the
following summer. The bulk of the slides she assembled are ready made tourist
photos of Japan and a few images made of Mrs. Ford and some of her traveling
companions. Almost all were made by the T. Enami studio. The remainder were
produced by Edward Henry Kemp of San Francisco and Bruno Parth of Pennsylvania.
Mrs. Ford used the slides and film for presentations to her society circles in
the San Francisco Bay area. The images include scenes of Mt. Fuji, cherry
blossoms, geishas, and other traditional scenes along with many showing people
at work and in domestic situations. The slide collection is accompanied by the
manuscripts and typescripts of travelogues. In addition to Japan, there are
four boxes (Boxes 7-10) that contain slides from other localities in Asia.
The collection is open to the public.
Request at UW
Restrictions may exist on reproduction, quotation, or publication.
Contact Special Collections, University of Washington Libraries for
details.
Donor: Don Root
A complete typewritten inventory to the collection is available in the
repository.
Enami, T., 1859-1929Enami, T., 1859-1929--ArchivesEnami, T., 1859-1929--PhotographsKemp, Edward HenryParth, BrunoJapan--Description and travel--PhotographsVisual Materials Collections (University of Washington)Photographs
1Japan. Hand-colored glass lantern slides. Nos 1-1 to
1-2792Japan. Hand-colored glass lantern slides. Nos. 1-282 to
1-6773Japan. Hand-colored glass lantern slides. Nos. 2-7 to
2-7184Japan. Hand-colored glass lantern slides. Nos. 3-5 to
3-1825Japan. Hand-colored glass lantern slides. Nos. 3-184a to
3-4426Japan. Hand-colored glass lantern slides. Nos. 3-451 to
3-6597India. Hand-colored glass lantern slides8India. Hand-colored glass lantern slides9Indonesia or Malaysia. Hand-colored glass lantern
slides10China, Egypt, Philippines, Bali, Thailand. Hand-colored
glass lantern slides11Travelogue manuscripts and typescripts prepared by Mrs.
Helen Ford as travelogues for use in presentations to various groups in San
Francisco; collection appraisal and inventory.