Jump to Content

Collection Guide
Collection Title:
Collection Number:
Get Items:
Guide to the Selfridge / China Photograph Albums
Wyles Mss 56  
View entire collection guide What's This?
Search this collection
Collection Overview
 
Table of contents What's This?
Description
The collection contains two photograph albums of scenes in China, including Shanghai, Peking, and Tientsin [Tianjin], apparently from the period preceding and during the Boxer Rebellion, ca. 1890s-1900. Some photos are snapshots while others appear to be more of the picture postcard variety.
Background
As part of the Treaty of Nanking (1842) which ended the first Opium War, western merchants were granted permission to trade and lease land on the west bank of the Huangpu River in Shanghai. The combination of a good port, western technology and commerce, and a large local work force soon made Shanghai one of the leading trading centers in the East. All major streets led to the waterfront and the great mercantile houses, many of which were grandiose stone buildings, were constructed in due course along the embankment facing the river. This area came to be known as the Bund (from a Hindi word for dyke or embankment). In addition to trading houses and banks, many foreign consulates were located there as well. Shanghai itself came to be divided into the British-dominated International Settlement, the French Concession, the Chinese City to the south and the large Chinese suburb of Zhabei to the north. This era of foreign control and influence largely prevailed until 1949 and the founding of the People's Republic of China.
Extent
.4 linear feet (1 document box)
Restrictions
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.
Availability
None.