Picturesque Hongkong

Hongkong : Ye Olde Printerie, [c.1925]. Oblong folio, string bound lettered card wrappers with pasted on photograph of Hong Kong by night, title page with pasted on photograph, previous owner’s name neatly written in ink, pp. [vi – foreword]; 26 sepia photogravures tipped-on to 24 sheets with accompanying descriptive letterpress, a fine example

A fine large format view book of Hong Kong, with views of the island and Kowloon from the harbour and the Peak, the Peak Tramway and residences on the mid-levels, the Supreme Court and the Hong Kong Club, the Praya, Wyndham Street, Queen’s Road Central, Aberdeen, Repulse Bay, Shua Ki Wan, Happy Valley Racecourse and various scenes of life in the city.

‘Denis Henry Hazell (1897-1970) was a British businessman. Some of his photographs were published in Picturesque Hong Kong (Ye Olde Printerie Ltd., Hong Kong), in approximately 1925. Born in Clevedon, Somerset, and the son of local photographer Edwin Henry Hazell, Hazell moved to Hong Kong in 1923 to take up a position in business there, and lived in the British colony until his death.’ – University of Bristol, https://www.hpcbristol.net/photographer/hazell-denis-h

‘Hongkong is more than a strategically situated seaport, the focal point of the land and sea routes of that part of the globe; it is also one of the world’s beauty spots. From all sides of its superb harbour the hills rise steeply to a height of eighteen hundred feet on the island, and three thousand feet on the mainland opposite. … It is a jumbled mass of granite peaks and inviting valleys, with sparkling waterfalls, frowning precipices, and lovely stretches of sandy beaches where perfect bathing may be enjoyed in the clear waters of the Pacific. … The compilers of this booklet are well aware that these photographs and descriptions are mere shadows and silhouettes of the real thing. Nevertheless it is their hope that this small souvenir may bring back pleasant memories to those who have seen the island; also that it may tempt others to include in their next itinerary Hongkong, a place well worth a visit.’ – from the Introduction.