descriptions of street life and their visit to the magisterial Temple of Heaven. The other major stop on their tour is Japan, sailing in an upgraded cabin thanks to HEI’s “firmness and diplomacy” (22 April). In Kyoto, they visit Buddhist temples and attend the famous Miyako Odori (cherry blossom dance). A visit to Miyajima’s flora proves restful after the bustle of previous weeks. Detailed descriptions of their experiences, including a visit to the glorious Mount Fuji, mingle with hilarity and personality: “last night Milly arranged to have her hair shampooed, and I laughed until I could hardly stand” (31 May). The HEI/MM tour concludes in late June. MM would have gladly liked to have seen more – “I have never before wished to be a man, but a strong male traveller literally has the world under his feet” (23 April) – and HEI’s appetite was equally whetted, for she returns to East Asia, this time with her niece Sissie, in 1910. Thanks to HEI’s steady letter-writing and Sissie’s prolific pen, this second adventure is similarly recorded meticulously. They depart in late February, stopping first in Beijing where Sissie is fascinated by the people. HEI notes many recent changes such as new roads and electric lighting, as well as the worsening political situation. The two women continuously embrace novelty, wrestling with chopsticks and picnicking with champagne and caviar at the Summer Palace. Little, however, surpasses the chance to visit the famed art collection of Duanfang, the former governor of Zhili. From China they proceed to Kyoto, witnessing a jujitsu fight, making an excursion to Nara, and taking several days out to travel to Korea. Their letters feature much that would be sanitized from any published account, including a story of being piggybacked to shore by some helpful fishermen. In Japan, they are less constrained by social engagements, leaving them free to marvel at Mount Fuji – an experience which more than makes up for the annoyance of mosquitos. All the while, HEI is on guard against overeager suitors for her niece, her withering expressions causing Sissie much merriment. Back in China, the ambitious denouement of their trip is an expedition to Jehol in the company of several Beijing acquaintances, with HEI enthusing about Qianlong’s imperial palace and its grounds. A few days of rest gives them time to say their goodbyes and pack the souvenirs now strewn across their hotel room. They finally return to Britain after almost eight remarkable months on the road. As Sissie puts it in her final letter, “now it is all over, and it has been good” (11 October). The narrative depth of the letters is enriched by hundreds of photographs and other illustrations, particularly in the case of
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Sissie, a passionate photographer. Her shots include HEI viewed from behind being piggybacked to shore and, later, heartily eating a lunchtime picnic. Sissie also delights in lending her camera to others, ensuring that this collection preserves a wonderfully candid image of her sliding off a donkey and several of her dressed and made up in the style of a refined Japanese woman. The collection offers a dramatically different perspective on women travellers to that which emerges in published accounts from the early 20th century. A full description is available. Eight volumes, quarto (255 × 197 mm), ff. 170, 170, 224, 130 + 177, 240, 224, 299, and 106 + 44. Letterpress leaves, text recto only, recently rebound in blue half calf, marbled sides, red spine labels lettered in gilt, vols I and II edges brown, vol. IV with top edge gilt. Accompanied by c .1980 photocopies of vol. VII, pp. 24–268 housed in grey archival box. With significant material tipped-in with tape or adhesive including: 354 silver print photographs (mostly 148 × 88 mm); 46 postcards; 3 folding maps; 2 manuscript lists; and 35 newspaper clippings and other pieces of printed material. 10 sketch maps as well as sketches and annotations in text, vol. III with TLS loosely inserted. Contents and photographs mainly clean and fresh, occasional creasing, small closed tears, and old tape offsetting, vol. III with some splitting at foot of gutter to first couple of dozen leaves, neatly strengthened on verso with Japanese tissue. An excellently preserved archive. Due to the fragility of the paper, vol. III should be handled with care. £27,500 [153368]
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82 IONIDES, Helen Euphrosyne; Mildred Martineau; Agathoniki Sabina Craies. Expansive collection of letters written during two tours of East Asia. China & Japan: 1908–10 “we are unregenerate and enjoying ourselves immensely” A chronicle of two grand tours of Asia by three Edwardian women including Helen Ionides, a scion of the culturally cosmopolitan Ionides dynasty. This expansive and candid archive is comprised of an eminently quotable letterpress collection of transcribed letters home enriched with their photographs and sketches. It offers a refreshing perspective on women’s experiences of Golden Age travel. We have traced no other extant copies. Helen Euphrosyne “Lallie” Ionides (1871–1967, “HEI”) was a sophisticated upper-class art connoisseur and the daughter of the collector Constantine Ionides. This collection is drawn from her personal papers, with several volumes variously signed by or inscribed to her. The first three concern a trip undertaken in 1908 by HEI in the company of Mildred Martineau (1869–1958, “MM”), an active member of the NUWSS and a friend of HEI’s sister Zoe. Two years later, HEI returns to East Asia with her niece Agathoniki “Sissie” Craies (1885–1947), and the remaining five volumes all relate to this adventure. All three women wrote prolifically during their travels and at some point arranged for their letters and some diary entries to be transcribed and printed. The personal nature of the material suggests a small circulation for close friends and family only. The volumes, amounting to some 1,700 pages of text, comprise: 1) HEI’s writings from the 1908 trip, dating from 25 January to 25 June, with her ownership signature on the final
leaf; 2) duplicate of the above, with slightly variant illustrations and additional annotations; 3) MM’s writings from the 1908 trip, dating from 24 January to 22 June, signed by MM on the final page of text and inscribed on the final leaf, “To Lallie Ionides from M.M.”; 4) HEI’s writings from the 1910 trip, dating from 28 February to 5 October; vols 5 to 8) Sissie Craies’s writings from the 1910 trip, dating from 28 February to 11 October, with a gift inscription from Sissie to HEI on the final leaf of vol. 5. For the 1908 trip, HEI and MM depart from England and reach Ceylon in early February. MM writes extensively on the striking sights and sounds of this other world. In March, they arrive in Hong Kong, revelling in its beautiful scenery and the fashions of everyday people. They continue to Canton and Shanghai, “where Lallie spent a fortune [shopping] and I longed to” (27 March). Given their love of art and history, Beijing is one of the trip’s highlights. HEI is fascinated, penning extensive
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All items are fully described and photographed at peterharrington.co.uk
LOUDER THAN WORDS
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