Lot 232

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QUEEN EMMA OF HAWAII'S ANNOTATED PHOTOGRAPH ALBUM
EMMA (1836-1885), Emma Kalanikaumakaamano Kaleleon lani Na'ea Rooke of Hawaii, queen consort to King Kamehameha IV (1834-1863). After the King's death, Emma ran in the constitutionally-mandated election for ruling monarch against King David Kalakaua in 1874 but was defeated. An incredible collection of 63 personal cartes-de-visite together with 35 unmounted carte-sized albumens including many members of the Hawaiian royal family from the Queen's personal collection, with eighteen of the photographs bearing notations in Emma's hand. The photographs date from her historic 1865 visit to America and Europe undertaken following her husband's death in 1863. Emma visited London and Edinburgh as well as points between, gaining audiences with Queen Victoria and the family of Prime Minister William Gladstone. Having previously visited Great Britain in 1849-50 and being a devoted Anglican convert, the British-adopted and educated Queen was well received on her 1865 return, particularly by her life-long friend Queen Victoria. The bereaved Queens - both of whom lost their respective husbands and sons - corresponded and found solace in one another. Indeed, on Sept. 9, 1865 during Emma's visit, Victoria noted in her journal: "After luncheon I received Queen Emma, the widowed Queen of the Sandwich Islands or Hawaii, met her in the Corridor & nothing could be nicer or more dignified than her manner. She is dark, but not more so than an Indian...with splendid soft eyes. She was dressed in just the same widow's weeds as I wear. I took her into the White Drawing room, where I asked to sit down next to me on the sofa. She was moved when I spoke to her of her great misfortune in losing her only child. She was very discreet & would only remain a few minutes...". Emma returned at the end of November to spend a night at Windsor Castle. She also visited France during this trip, returning with a stereopticon given by Napoleon III and a baby grand piano by revered piano maker Emil Ascherberg which still stands today in her summer palace Hanaiakamalama in Honolulu. On her journey back in 1866, Emma visited Washington and was given a reception on August 14, 1866 by President Andrew Johnson at the White House. Some note this as the first time anyone with the title "Queen" had had an official visit to the U.S. presidential residence and there was indeed political motive behind this meeting. During the Civil War, sugar from the Sandwich Islands had become a major import to the North which had outlawed the use of sugar from Southern plantations. Queen Emma's visit was arranged to encourage favorable trade relations Hawaii and the United States, and for the States to gain political influence over the islands. Emma arrived in San Francisco on Sept. 24, 1866 to board the steamer USS Vanderbilt which would return her to the Islands.

Nine of the cartes bear excessively rare Honolulu, Hawaii backstamps including those of: Emma herself; Emma's Lady-in-Waiting Kiliwehi Hoopili; Kamehameha's and Emma's son Prince Albert who tragically died in childhood; King Kamehameha IV, the grandson of Kamehameha I; an image of a Lady docketed "Hawaiian Princess" on verso; EDWARD TAUSSIG, Rear Admiral, who signs on verso; Sanford B. Dole, Hawaii's first territorial governor and attorney to Emma; Kamehameha V; Capt. Z. L. TANNER, who signs on verso adding: "U.S.N. June 1872 and other unidentified Hawaiian women who appear to have been either part of the royal family or the official retinue that accompanied Emma on her 1865 journey. Other images are by Honolulu photographers H. L. Chase and M. Dickson, both quite rare. Additional images, some bearing backstamps of Alexander Gardner, R. H. Vance, Disderi, C. H. Williamson, George R. White, Schmidt & Wegener, Wm. Shew, Stuart Brothers, F. C. Earl, etc., include: Governor Kanoay of Kauai (albumen); William H. Gladstone, prime minister, and his wife Catherine and other family members (cartes-de-visite); Lord Arthur Harvey, vice principal of George Monoux Sixth Form College (albumen); Bertha Chilton, state department host of the queen (carte), Charles Thomas Beresford Hope as well as portraits of his family; painter Charlotte Augusta Sneyd (albumen); the unidentified Chinese Ambassador to England (carte); Charles Lindley Wood, Viscount Halifax (carte); O. S. N. Cone, Acting Ensign U. S. Navy (carte); author WILLIAM HEPWORTH DIXON, who signs on his carte-de-visite on recto; J. N. ECKEL, M.D., founder of the Hahnemann College of San Francisco who signs on verso of hi carte; Emma's attorney R. H. PAULEY, who signs on verso of his carte; Queen Victoria (carte-de-visite); and cartes-de-visite of many generals including Herwarth v. Bittenfeld, von Francois and v. Blumenthal, von Fransecky, von Bose, etc.; Otto von Bismarck . Emma also collected images of many British and some American sites visited, including Mount Vernon, Washington's Tomb, Holyrood Palace, Windsor Castle, an excellent unmounted albumen to two American Indians (Great Plains?), and many others. Condition is overall very good with the expected toning, soiling and wear. An incredible collection including some extremely rare and desirable Hawaiian photographs.

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October 9, 2010 11:00 AM EDT
Stamford, CT, US

Alexander Historical Auctions LLC

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