Lot 949

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Description:

(JAPAN) WILLIAM ELLIOTT GRIFFIS
(1843 - 1928) American orientalist, Congregational minister, lecturer, author and historian. Griffis played an important role in the modernization of Japan when that government invited him to Japan in 1870 to help update the education system. In 1872 he was joined in Japan by his sister who became a teacher at the Tokyo government' Girl's school. By the time they left in 1874, they had befriended many of Japan's future leaders. Offered here is a disbound family scrap album kept by Griffis later in life which includes letters and documents including material relative to his 1926 - 27 return trip to Japan where he was presented with the Order of the Rising Sun, Gold Rays with Neck Ribbon in appreciation for his efforts to modernize Japanese education. The book includes a good content T.L.S. 2pp. 4to. on Imperial Hotel stationery, Tokyo, Dec. 30, 1926 with numerous corrections and emendations in his hand: "… I will tell you we are having an uproariously good time.... [while at sea en route to Japan] there fell upon us a shower of radiograms, from Japanese princes to parsons, revealing an almost national welcome; and on arriving, we found our baggage passed unopened through the customs; a dozen people, Americans and Japanese awaiting us with welcomes and invitations. The leading merchant with this automobile taking us to Tokyo. There, on the first day, I spoke at four different functions, the fit dinner presided over by Prince Tokugawa, of illustrious fame, whom I had seen as a boy, six years old fifty-five years ago.... Mr. Kuroda who was with us for three years in our home in Ithaca, who now wears a breast full of decorations from kings and emperors and is court chamberlain, came to inform us that the new Emperor and Empress, and the former Empress now a widow, wished to give us an audience when we come back in April... The Government has given us a free pass over all the railroads in the Empire, and also furnishes us an interpreter...Even form the Roman Catholic bishop who was in Japan when I was, I have received the kindest of messages and thanks for my parts in helping to get the persecuted Christmas of 1871 out of prison..." The group also includes an A.L.S. of Griffis' wife, Frances, 8pp. oblong 8vo., Hakodate, May 16, 1927 giving a highly detailed account of their travels and experiences during their visit to Japan, Korea and Manchuria. The collecting also includes a manuscript poem signed "Yashui Hasegawa" accomplished in Japanese and English (mounted). A printed list of Griffis' experiences in Japan is also included in the scrapbook which bears an annotation by Griffis at the bottom. The collection also features several more A.Ls.S. from Griffis 1925 - 1927 as well as newspaper clippings from Japan during his trip as well as several versions of Griffis' obituary and other ephemera relative to his career as an author. Many pieces mounted to the album pages, overall very good to fine condition. An excellent collection, worthy of further research.

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July 22, 2011 11:30 AM EDT
Stamford, CT, US

Alexander Historical Auctions LLC

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