Important Collection of Early Photos of Identified Japanese Students in Massachusetts Inscribed portraits of Mitsuoka Takeo, Uejima Yasusaburo, and Hirayama Taro
[Japan] An interesting group of 15 photographs related to the educational efforts of the Putnam family of Jamaica Plain, Massachusetts and were once owned by the Putnams. In 1874, Susan Caroline Simonds Putnam (1827-1895), along with her daughters Ella and Caroline Putnam, opened a day school in their Jamaica Plain home. Susan's husband, Benjamin Wadsworth Putnam (1825-1898), was a notable educator himself, known in the area for his popular lectures on ceramics and other artistic subjects. Central to the present group of photos are six portraits of young Japanese students who were educated by the Putnams. Included are three portraits of Mitsuoka Takeo, two of Uejima Yasusaburo, and one of Hirayama Taro. All of these portraits are warmly inscribed to Mrs. B.W. Putnam. Mitsuoka Takeo (later Yuri Takeo [dates unknown]) was the son of Fukui domain samurai Mitsuoka Hachiro (aka Yuri Kimimasa) (1829-1909), who was friendly with Sakamoto Ryoma and went on to became governor of Tokyo in 1871. Yuri Kimimasa was selected to join the Iwakura Mission to the USA and Europe in 1872. His son, Takeo, went to the US in 1873 and used his birth name, Mitsuoka. One of the smaller photos of him is signed, 'Takeo Mitsuoka June 23/75'[1875], the other is inscribed on the rear, 'Very truly yours T. Mitsuoka' and the CDV of him is inscibed, 'To Mrs. B.W. Putnam with compliments of T. Mitzuoka August 6, 1875.' There is one CDV of Hirayama Taro (1849-1891) incscribed on the rear, 'To Mrs. Putnam, With great regards of T. Hirayama', also signed and dated in Japanese 'July, Meiji 5'[1872]. He studied in the US from 1869 until 1874 and went on to become a Ministry of Education bureaucrat, a director of the Tokyo Library (predecessor of the National Diet Library) and a school principal in Kumamoto. The group includes two photos of a young Ueda Yasusaburo (1855-1902), who played a pivotal role in Mitsui & Co. After serving as the first manager of the company's Shanghai branch and laying the foundation for trade in Asian markets, he became a managing director and played a central role in the company's management. While living in the United States, he went by the name Uejima Yasusaburo. Also included in the collection are two CDV portraits of Benjamin Putnam, one of Susan Putnam and one of their home. There are also four larger, wonderful, 1880s photos showing the interior of the classrooms (with an older Susan Putnam present in a couple of them) and American students studying or exercising (including two young ladies in boxing poses!).
Various Boston photographers. Smallest photos measure 3.6 x 5.4cm and the largest 11.2 x 19.1cm. 1872-c1880.
All in very good condition with only minor age wear. All Japanese portraits inscribed on rear in the sitter's own handwriting. p38072086
