Lot 32
Guanghua Photo Studio(Founded 1928)A portrait photograph of Chiang Kai Shek
5 June 2025, 16:00 BST
London, New Bond StreetSold for £768 inc. premium
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Guanghua Photo Studio (Founded 1928)
A portrait photograph of Chiang Kai Shek
signed in both Chinese and English script, bears stamped chop mark for the sitter
gelatin silver print mounted on card
23.2 x 18cm (9 1/8 x 7 1/16in).
together with a letter from Hsi Luen dated "30th March 1940, Lhasa", thanking Gould for meeting "His Excellency" and detailing the gift of the photograph, (2).
signed in both Chinese and English script, bears stamped chop mark for the sitter
gelatin silver print mounted on card
23.2 x 18cm (9 1/8 x 7 1/16in).
together with a letter from Hsi Luen dated "30th March 1940, Lhasa", thanking Gould for meeting "His Excellency" and detailing the gift of the photograph, (2).
Footnotes
The Guanghua Photo Studio in Nanjing was established in 1928 by Qian Shuzi and Wang Guixun and was the official photography studio for leading figures in the Kuomintang.
Hsi Luen was the interpreter to Wu Chung-hsin, the "His Excellency" referred to in the letter. He had attended the enthronement ceremony three weeks earlier and was the official representative of the Chinese Government. Gould had a good relationship with Wu who later stayed with Sir Basil in Sikkim.
Gould recalls in his memoire that:
"He proved to be a most courteous and interesting guest at the Sikkim Residency and he had presented me with a large signed portrait of Chiang Kai Shek".