Preliminary Guide to the Merl LaVoy China Photographs
Processed by E. Fields
Department of Special Collections, Davidson Library
© 2007
University of California
Santa Barbara, CA 93106-9010
Phone: (805) 893-3062
Fax: (805) 893-5749
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Title: Merl LaVoy China Photographs
Date (inclusive): ca. 1920s - 1930s
Collection number: Bernath Mss 138
Creator: LaVoy, Merl
Extent: .2 linear feet (1 half-size document box)
Repository: University of California, Santa Barbara. Library. Department of Special Collections
Santa Barbara, California 93106-9010
Physical location: Del Sur
Language of Material: Collection materials in English
None.
Copyright has not been assigned to the Department of Special Collections, UCSB. All requests for permission to publish or
quote from manuscripts must be submitted in writing to the Head of Special Collections. Permission for publication is given
on behalf of the Department of Special Collections as the owner of the physical items and is not intended to include or imply
permission of the copyright holder, which also must be obtained.
Merl LaVoy China Photographs. Bernath Mss 138. Department of Special Collections, Davidson Library, University of California,
Santa Barbara.
Scope and Content of Collection
The collection contains 104 black and white photographs (with some duplicates) taken by photographer Merl LaVoy in China during
the 1920's and 1930s. Many of the photos are taken in the Nanjing (Nanking) area which served as China's capital at various
times in the nation's history including the Ming Dynasty (14th through 17th centuries). In 1928, Nationalist forces (Kuomingtang/KMT)
led by Chiang Kai-shek (Jiang Jieshi), reestablished the capital in Nanjing during the civil war era with opposing Communist
forces. Nanjing eventually fell to the Japanese in 1937. Most of the photos appear to be from the era of KMT rule and civil
war strife, many showing evidence of the aftermath of battle and wartime destruction. There are a series of photographs showing
U.S. Senator Hiram Bingham (1875-1956) of Connecticut meeting with various government officials including C. C. Wu (Wu Ch'ao-shu),
the foreign minister of the Nanjing-based government from May 10, 1927-Jan. 2, 1928. There are also photos of other unidentified
officials. Other locales include Canton and a series of photographs of the famous Ming Tombs located north of Beijing.
Related monographs and serials pertaining to China during this period have been cataloged separately and can be searched on
Pegasus, the UCSB Libraries online catalog.
Box 1
104 black and white photographs