Jim Nolan's Blog

Designer Brenda Lo Practicing Calligraphy

Photo credit: Brenda Lo Collection

I believe this shot is from the 1940s. 

You can see a short video about Brenda here. 

Honolulu Chinese-American Chamber of Commerce Narcissus Festival Organizers, 1950s

Photo credit: Brenda Lo Collection. Click to enlarge. 

Winner's dress by Brenda Lo. Also dress to winner's left. 

Brenda Lo Cheongsam Dress, 1950s

Photo credit: Brenda Lo Collection. Click to enlarge. 

Brenda Lo Cheongsam Dress, 1950s

Photo credit: Brenda Lo Collection. Click to enlarge.

Contestant #1.

Brenda Lo Cheongsam Dress, 1950s

Photo Credit: Brenda Lo Collection. Click to enlarge.

Contestant #8. 

More Brenda Lo Cheongsam Dresses

Photo credit: Brenda Lo Collection

More cheongsam dresses from a 1950s Narcissus Festival Beauty Contest in Honolulu. Most if not all were designed by Brenda Lo. Click to enlarge.

More Cheongsam Dresses by Brenda Lo for Narcissus Festival, Honolulu 1950s

 Photo credit: Brenda Lo Collection

Jinan, China Cabinet Card, circa 1904

A cabinet card from approximately 1904 when my great-grandfather Harry Koenig was a German naval surgeon in Tsingtau, China. The photo is pasted onto the card, instead of laminated onto it. I asked a neighbor and China expert, Professor Richard Belsky of Hunter College, where he thought it was. Rick replied:

"Very interesting. I think your photo must be of Jinan, the provincial capital of Shandong. Tsingdao itself didn't have a wall, and the walls in the picture are very impressive city walls, such as one would expect from a major administrative center like a provincial capital. The wall doesn't exist anymore, most city walls in China were torn down in the years since unfortunately. It is hard to tell but it seems that the photo shows the area in the foreground flooding, and I know the Jinan moat did flood at times.  German influence was great in Jinan, there was a German concession there, and the Germans built a railroad from Tsingtao to Jinan (completed in 1904), so it makes sense that your great-grandfather would have spent time been there."

"Here are some photos of Jinan for comparison. The first two are different shots of the Jinan wall - note the water in the foreground of the first one."

 

Tombs of Wealthy Chinese No Match (Yet) for Buffalo's Buried Rich

Great article in today's New York Times about how China is trying to "Curb Fancy Tombs That Irk Poor." To a Buffaloanian familiar with Forest Lawn, the tombs featured in the article don't seem particularly grand. Here's an example: 

Sim Chi Yin for the New York Times

Compare that with Forest Lawn's Birge Memorial:

Jeffrey Smith, amorbidfascination.blogspot.com

Here's a terrific shot of the Samuel Fletcher Pratt Monument, with the Walden-Meyer Mausoleum in the background, from "Forest Lawn Cemetery, Buffalo History Preserved" by Michaels, Reisem and Rupp.

Seth Colby

Then there's the famous Blocher Memorial:

Dave Pape

Here's the inside.

Dave Pape

According to Richard Reisem,

"the monument is constructed of granite, cut from 20 massive stones that were shaped to the circular design of the structure. The roof is a huge, 60-ton granite bell..."

The sculptures inside are meant to show the sorrow of the Blocher parents for the untimely death of their only son Nelson, who pined away for the maid they sent away, as she was beneath their station.

Whether or not Buffalonians of the time resented these extravagent monuments and memorials I can't say. 

I'm guessing the Chinese will get the hang of it soon enough.

 

Home from China

Harry and Auguste Koenig at home with their four children, years after their stay in China. Hildegard, my grandmother, stands in front of her father. Her brother Robert, second from right, was killed in WW1.