CDV of Diver Masuda Mankichi pioneering Japanese diver
[Japan] Scarce carte de visite showing Masuda Mankichi (1836-1902) standing second from left with a helmeted diver and oxygen hose attendants. Masuda is known as the father of Japanese hard-hat diving and worked in Yokohama trading houses and as a fireman before turning to salvaging shipwrecks and then to diving for abalone and pearl shell. He was the first in Japan to import diving helmets in 1872 (British-made helmets from the Netherlands) and became an authority on diving. In 1883, his son Sanjiro was one of the first Japanese divers to go to Australia (Thursday Island), recruited to work in the pearl shell industry there. The rear of the photo has at at the top a printed list of ten qualified divers including Oshima Ichimatsu, Tamura Yoshichi, Urashima Takematsu, and Kubota Hatsugoro. Below that is a list of what appears to be those in charge of the oxygen hoses including Nakamura Yasujiro, Shirato Hikoshichi, Furuya Shuntaro, and Morishita Gisuke. At the bottom centre we see Masuda Mankichi described as a diving instructor along with his Yokohama address. Presumably the other names on either side of his were also diving instructors (such as Yamada Torajiro, Kubota Kumakichi, Arai Kumakichi, Saito Yukichi, Hashimoto Kichigoro, Nakahashi Shogoro, and Nishikawa Jimbei. Clearly, this was advertising for Masuda and his diving operation.
Presumably Yokohama. Photographer unknown. ND (c1880).
5.5 x 8.5cm.
In good condition. Minor wear at edges and minor loss of contrast. Purple mark on rear. Otherwise good. p37021816
