AMERICANS IN TAIWAN DEFENSE COMMAND TAIWAN STRAITS CRISIS 1958 PHOTO ALBUM

Item #1338

This is a pictorial account of an American family in Taiwan in the months leading up to the Second Taiwan Strait Crisis of 1958. Across 18 leaves/36 pages this 11 1/2 x 8 3/4” album consists of 150 snapshot photos. The blue velveteen cover displays images of Taiwanese temples and characters. Between each black page is translucent onion skin paper. Photos range in size from 3 3/4” x 2 3/4” to 4 7/8” x 3 3/4”. Almost every photograph is provided with a caption on manilla paper which begins “H.A. Brendt Family in Taiwan” followed by further contextual information written in script, blue ink. Images and caption tags held to black album pages with tape at corners.

The Brendt family was in Taiwan as American U.S. military agents with the Taiwan Defense Command (TDC). Specifically, family member, Howard was with the defense. Other characters named throughout include two children: Virgil and Howard; and, adult — Maxine. An obit of Alan “Sunny” Berndt is tucked into the front of the album. He passed at the age of 49 after a farm tractor accident. Places named include: Taipei, Lei, and Kaohsiung (spelled here as “Kauchung”).

The first photograph in the album is an image of the “initiation” ritual done for those crossing the international date line for the first time. One person appears to writhe on the floor while two Taiwanese men oversee the ritual. Other images throughout recount Taiwanese street scenes, markets, funeral processions, people washing clothes in small waterways; outdoor activities: hiking, sightseeing, viewing waterfalls, fishing villages, rice fields, etc. In one image taken on on the street, a bicyclist is blurry in the foreground of an attempt at photographing a water buffalo and its owner pulling a cart. Brendt writes “just leave it to these people to be in the wrong place at the wrong time”.

All images are provided with ample context. Three photos are loose. In good overall condition.

Price: $750.00