American Historical Ephemera & Photography

The collection is comprised of the following:

Red paper sleeve with the following typed on the cover, "Captain Van Voorhis: The photographs showing the ruins of Hiroshima City caused by the atomic bomb (6 August 1945). From Mr. Mineo Furukawa, chief of Liaison Office, H.R.D.O.", signed "Chuck." Contains 8 silver gelatin prints, approx. 5 1/2 x 4 in., or smaller, documenting the wreckage caused by the atomic bomb (very fine condition overall). A graphic image showing human remains is also enclosed. 

[With:] Quarto (10 x 11 1/2 in.) album, "Photographs" on the front cover. Contains approx. 275 silver gelatin photographs, 3 1/2 x 2 3/4 in., mounted in photo corners, on recto/verso of album pages. Many photographs with inscribed or typed caption on verso, and accompanied by manuscript caption on album page below image (photographs in very fine condition overall, some toned). An exceptional group of candid photographs documenting Japanese cities, landmarks, businesses, residences, temples, shrines, citizens, and military subjects, ca 1945-March 1947. Locations include Hiroshima, Kure, Shikoku, Tokyo, Kyoto, Osaka, Yokohama, Miyazaki, Nagasaki, Hagi, Kobe, Hikoshima, Shimonoseki. A number of images document the destruction caused by the atomic bomb, including views of Hiroshima (18), the bombed Kure Naval Base (3), Nagasaki (5) including the bombed Mitsubishi Ship Yards, and Kobe (10). Other notable scenes include a view of the Diets Building in Tokyo, with notation below "war was declared here"; Japanese harvesting rice; multiple views of ships and boats; Japanese repatriated soldiers in Shimonoseki; 7 images documenting a sumo wrestling competition in Shimonoseki; a Cherry Blossom Festival and Railroad Track Meet in Shimonoseki; occupational subjects; view of 34-ton medium US Army tanks at Kobe to be shipped to Korea; views of US officers, including Captain Van Voorhis.

[With:] The collection also contains several hundred celluloid negatives, most approx. 3 1/2 x 2 1/4 in. (most rolled, some displayed flat in a modern album). A small sampling of negatives are housed in period envelopes, one with penciled notates identified to Captain Van Voorhis, suggesting that he produced the photographs offered here. Subject matter aligns with what is featured in the photo album described above, including bombed areas of Japan, trains, trainyards, boats, temples, shrines, and military views. 

[With:] 72 silver gelatin photographs, approx. 4 x 6 in. (most with slight upward curve, else very good condition. The photographs, which are unidentified, appear to document activities at a Japanese military base, including group portraits of soldiers and civilians, including both male and female subjects. Other photographs document the reconstruction of destroyed buildings and factories, as well as some type of ceremony. Four photographs of Captain Von Voorhis are also enclosed, 2 of which include an embossed Japanese seal. 

[Also with:] Octavo (7 3/4 x 10 3/4 in.) album with paper covered boards, applied paper labels on front cover, including title and publication information, "Album of Types of Cars used for Imperial Japanese Government Railways," dated 10 February 1947, Liaison Office, Osaka Railway Division. Comprised of typed indexes listing "Type and Measurements of Important Locomotives," "Electric Cars," "Passenger Cars," and "Freight Cars," accompanied by 79 silver gelatin photographs, most approx. 6 x 4 in., mounted recto/verso on album pages, each with typed caption on album page (photographs very good overall; light wear to album pages). 

An extensive collection of 425+ photographs and several hundred original celluloid negatives providing immediate post-World War II views of Japan. We have been unable to locate further information regarding Captain Van Voorhis, who almost certainly produced this large body of photographs showing the destruction, reconstruction and occupation of Japan.