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**Douglas_of_Sweden** · 09-04-2013, 07:24 AM

I didn't pay much for the portrait I was happy enough to find on e-bay earlier this year. They appear to be of about the same size. But I may just have been lucky. The ebay seller didn't know who Kajiwara was.

I think it is typical of studio portrait photographers. Even if you were pretty big and popular in the your own time, the family portrait don't have much economically value a generation later, or two or three, when the people on the images are forgotten. But I value my portrait very highly. I may swap it for a SMC Pentax-FA* 200mm macro lens, but nothing less

And I like to congratulate you for finding it! And thank you for sharing it here!

About the lens-naming etc that you also mention on your blog. Takuma himself says in an interview that Takuma means to polish or grind, like when they make optical lenses. Based on this, I think it was a sort of linguistic little game of his niece (Pentax boss at that time) to name the lenses Takumar, and of course honoring his uncle.

I still hope that we will be able to locate some of his more artistic and experimental painting (and larger photographs from exhibitions). They ought to be in storage at some US museums. Or perhaps owned by his Japanese family or descendants of his wifes US familly. I wonder what they may be worth?

Edit: Very nice that you managed to find something out about the woman on the portrait!

Mike Cash · 10-25-2013, 08:28 AM

Just a reminder that the 3rd Annual Takuma Kajiwara Grave Visit and Cleanup will be November 10th. Anyone who will be in the Tokyo area on that date is welcome to participate.

**Jacquot** · 10-25-2013, 02:48 PM

Originally posted by Mike Cash

Just a reminder that the 3rd Annual Takuma Kajiwara Grave Visit and Cleanup will be November 10th. Anyone who will be in the Tokyo area on that date is welcome to participate.

Good to hear you are doing it again. No chance I'll get there--although I hope to visit Japan sometime. I'm glad to contribute like before if it helps.
David

Mike Cash · 10-26-2013, 09:19 PM

Originally posted by Jacquot

Good to hear you are doing it again. No chance I'll get there--although I hope to visit Japan sometime. I'm glad to contribute like before if it helps.
David

Thanks very much. At the moment, for some reason I am unable to receive money via PayPal. If I have it straightened out it time I would be very glad to have some financial help. Not for the money, because the expense isn't great, but so that others can play a part in some way.

**chuck_c** · 12-15-2013, 08:49 AM

Originally posted by Douglas_of_Sweden

Who was Takuma Kajiwara?

Just found this thread and find it really interesting. Great job Douglas, and others who have contributed as well.

I will be following and, if possible, will contribute, if in no other way at least to Mike's annual visit to Takuma's gravesite.

Pioneer · 12-15-2013, 08:54 PM

Hey Mike. Did you ever sort out the Paypal issue?

**Douglas_of_Sweden** · 03-13-2014, 11:21 PM - **5 Likes**

Just found this photograph by Takuma Kajiwara published in Brush and Pencil, Vol. 16, No. 3 (Sep., 1905), page 75 as part of an article titled "St Louis art at the Portland exhibition".
This is just after the St. Louis word exhibition that brought Kajiwara to St Louis, so he have only been at the most half a year in the US (being in the US for the 2nd time). Since the title "Domestic life in Japan" indicates that the photo was taken in Japan, it places the shot in the period ~1901 to ~early 1905, which he spent in Japan (on the emperors mission to start up Japanese camera clubs/photographic clubs). Clearly the earliest photo I have found so far...and the only one from Japan. The proportions would be consistent with a 6x9 format, like an early roll film camera.

Jean Poitiers · 03-14-2014, 01:36 AM

Originally posted by Douglas_of_Sweden

Just found this photograph by Takuma Kajiwara published in Brush and Pencil, Vol. 16, No. 3 (Sep., 1905), page 75 as part of an article titled "St Louis art at the Portland exhibition". ...

Great find ... TFS, J

**Douglas_of_Sweden** · 03-14-2014, 06:48 AM

I'm sorry to report that the article itself tell us nothing new, he is just listed among other St Louis artists. I suppose that is concistent with him being very new in the city. The author must however have liked his photo enough to pick it among a lot of material.

Mike Cash · 10-12-2014, 05:13 PM

The funds donated in the past for the annual Takuma Kajiwara Grave Visit and Cleanup have been re-loaned again via Kiva. This time, your past generosity is going to help a young girl in Vietnam attend school.

I'm hoping to be able to do this again this year. I have no idea if my PayPal problems are straightened out or not. If anyone would like to kick in, actual expenses will run a total of not more than about $30. My PayPal is "mikecashATgmail.com" (Replace the "AT" with @, of course).

**Jacquot** · 10-12-2014, 05:56 PM

Originally posted by Mike Cash

The funds donated in the past for the annual Takuma Kajiwara Grave Visit and Cleanup have been re-loaned again via Kiva. This time, your past generosity is going to help a young girl in Vietnam attend school.

I'm hoping to be able to do this again this year. I have no idea if my PayPal problems are straightened out or not. If anyone would like to kick in, actual expenses will run a total of not more than about $30. My PayPal is "mikecashATgmail.com" (Replace the "AT" with @, of course).

Your Paypal account does not work, Mike. I was thinking about this just yesterday. I'm good for it. Hope you are doing well.
David

Mike Cash · 10-15-2014, 08:21 AM

Originally posted by Jacquot

Your Paypal account does not work, Mike. I was thinking about this just yesterday. I'm good for it. Hope you are doing well.
David

Thank you, David. I have just completed the verification process with PayPal and it should be working now.

Pioneer · 10-21-2014, 07:16 PM

Just tried Mike and was notified your account wasn't active. I'll try again tomorrow.

Peter R · 04-14-2018, 04:59 AM - **4 Likes**

Don't own a Pentax, but since you have all done such great research, I thought I would add some info for you. I know the thread is old, but I have stumbled across probably the earliest known studio portrait by Kajiwara operating out of 810 Olive Street St. Louis. There has been some debate in this forum and elsewhere about when his studio was operating. The photo in my possession is signed T. Kajiwara, dated 1904. Also stamped with red Japanese 'hanko', and also impressed studio mark - Kajiwara Studio, 810 Olive St. St. Louis. Here is the interesting bit: the image is of a sophisticated looking middle-aged Japanese man in Western suit. Nothing to go on....but through guess work, putting two together I have found that it is of Baron Matsudaira, of samurai stock. He was vice-president of the Japan exhibits at the St. Louis Purchasing Exhibition in 1904 (also acted in this capacity at the world-famous Japan-British Exhibition of 1910). Thus, when visiting the St. Louis exhibition in 1904 in an official capacity, Baron Matsudaira would have sat for his emigre compatriot. A similar photo of him, but wearing a uniform can be found in Handbook of the Japan and Japanese Exhibits at the World's Fair, St. Louis (1904), by Hajime Hoshi. It's a beautiful photo, in extremely fine condition and in its original frame. Is this Kajiwara's earliest extant male portrait? I know this thread is old. Hope someone picks it up and is interested by this. Image is my copyright - permission must be sought for reuse.

**monochrome** · 04-14-2018, 05:08 AM

Originally posted by Peter R

Don't own a Pentax, but since you have all done such great research, I thought I would add some info for you. I know the thread is old, but I have stumbled across probably the earliest known studio portrait by Kajiwara operating out of 810 Olive Street St. Louis. There has been some debate in this forum and elsewhere about when his studio was operating. The photo in my possession is signed T. Kajiwara, dated 1904. Also stamped with red Japanese 'hanko', and also impressed studio mark - Kajiwara Studio, 810 Olive St. St. Louis. Here is the interesting bit: the image is of a sophisticated looking middle-aged Japanese man in Western suit. Nothing to go on....but through guess work, putting two together I have found that it is of Baron Matsudaira, of samurai stock. He was vice-president of the Japan exhibits at the St. Louis Purchasing Exhibition in 1904 (also acted in this capacity at the world-famous Japan-British Exhibition of 1910). Thus, when visiting the St. Louis exhibition in 1904 in an official capacity, Baron Matsudaira would have sat for his emigre compatriot. A similar photo of him, but wearing a uniform can be found in Handbook of the Japan and Japanese Exhibits at the World's Fair, St. Louis (1904), by Hajime Hoshi. It's a beautiful photo, in extremely fine condition and in its original frame. Is this Kajiwara's earliest extant male portrait? I know this thread is old. Hope someone picks it up and is interested by this. Image is my copyright - permission must be sought for reuse.

That’s a great post. Thank you for the addition. I have lived in St. Louis all my life and am a member of a private library (The St. Louis Mercantile Library Assn.) that coincidentally owns a number of his prints of society ladies and debutantes. Next time I am there I will inquire with the collection curator about your question.

03-13-2014, 11:21 PM - 5 Likes	#127
Douglas_of_Sweden Site Supporter Join Date: Apr 2008 Location: Stockholm Photos: Gallery Posts: 3,374 Original Poster	Earliest Kajiwara photograph so far Just found this photograph by Takuma Kajiwara published in Brush and Pencil, Vol. 16, No. 3 (Sep., 1905), page 75 as part of an article titled "St Louis art at the Portland exhibition". This is just after the St. Louis word exhibition that brought Kajiwara to St Louis, so he have only been at the most half a year in the US (being in the US for the 2nd time). Since the title "Domestic life in Japan" indicates that the photo was taken in Japan, it places the shot in the period ~1901 to ~early 1905, which he spent in Japan (on the emperors mission to start up Japanese camera clubs/photographic clubs). Clearly the earliest photo I have found so far...and the only one from Japan. The proportions would be consistent with a 6x9 format, like an early roll film camera.

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09-04-2013, 07:24 AM	#121
Douglas_of_Sweden Site Supporter Join Date: Apr 2008 Location: Stockholm Photos: Gallery Posts: 3,374 Original Poster	I didn't pay much for the portrait I was happy enough to find on e-bay earlier this year. They appear to be of about the same size. But I may just have been lucky. The ebay seller didn't know who Kajiwara was. I think it is typical of studio portrait photographers. Even if you were pretty big and popular in the your own time, the family portrait don't have much economically value a generation later, or two or three, when the people on the images are forgotten. But I value my portrait very highly. I may swap it for a SMC Pentax-FA* 200mm macro lens, but nothing less And I like to congratulate you for finding it! And thank you for sharing it here! About the lens-naming etc that you also mention on your blog. Takuma himself says in an interview that Takuma means to polish or grind, like when they make optical lenses. Based on this, I think it was a sort of linguistic little game of his niece (Pentax boss at that time) to name the lenses Takumar, and of course honoring his uncle. I still hope that we will be able to locate some of his more artistic and experimental painting (and larger photographs from exhibitions). They ought to be in storage at some US museums. Or perhaps owned by his Japanese family or descendants of his wifes US familly. I wonder what they may be worth? Edit: Very nice that you managed to find something out about the woman on the portrait!

10-25-2013, 08:28 AM	#122
Mike Cash Veteran Member Join Date: Jan 2007 Location: Japan Photos: Gallery Posts: 6,950	Just a reminder that the 3rd Annual Takuma Kajiwara Grave Visit and Cleanup will be November 10th. Anyone who will be in the Tokyo area on that date is welcome to participate.

10-25-2013, 02:48 PM	#123
Jacquot Loyal Site Supporter Join Date: May 2008 Location: Sun City Center, FL Photos: Gallery Posts: 2,544	Originally posted by Mike Cash Just a reminder that the 3rd Annual Takuma Kajiwara Grave Visit and Cleanup will be November 10th. Anyone who will be in the Tokyo area on that date is welcome to participate. Good to hear you are doing it again. No chance I'll get there--although I hope to visit Japan sometime. I'm glad to contribute like before if it helps. David

10-26-2013, 09:19 PM	#124
Mike Cash Veteran Member Join Date: Jan 2007 Location: Japan Photos: Gallery Posts: 6,950	Originally posted by Jacquot Good to hear you are doing it again. No chance I'll get there--although I hope to visit Japan sometime. I'm glad to contribute like before if it helps. David Thanks very much. At the moment, for some reason I am unable to receive money via PayPal. If I have it straightened out it time I would be very glad to have some financial help. Not for the money, because the expense isn't great, but so that others can play a part in some way.

12-15-2013, 08:49 AM	#125
chuck_c Loyal Site Supporter Join Date: Jun 2011 Location: Westerville, OH Photos: Gallery \| Albums Posts: 1,588	Originally posted by Douglas_of_Sweden Who was Takuma Kajiwara? Just found this thread and find it really interesting. Great job Douglas, and others who have contributed as well. I will be following and, if possible, will contribute, if in no other way at least to Mike's annual visit to Takuma's gravesite.

12-15-2013, 08:54 PM	#126
Pioneer Pentaxian Join Date: Aug 2009 Location: Wandering the Streets Photos: Gallery \| Albums Posts: 1,411	Hey Mike. Did you ever sort out the Paypal issue?

03-14-2014, 01:36 AM	#128
Jean Poitiers Pentaxian Join Date: Apr 2011 Location: Lost in translation ... Photos: Gallery \| Albums Posts: 18,076	Originally posted by Douglas_of_Sweden Just found this photograph by Takuma Kajiwara published in Brush and Pencil, Vol. 16, No. 3 (Sep., 1905), page 75 as part of an article titled "St Louis art at the Portland exhibition". ... Great find ... TFS, J

03-14-2014, 06:48 AM	#129
Douglas_of_Sweden Site Supporter Join Date: Apr 2008 Location: Stockholm Photos: Gallery Posts: 3,374 Original Poster	I'm sorry to report that the article itself tell us nothing new, he is just listed among other St Louis artists. I suppose that is concistent with him being very new in the city. The author must however have liked his photo enough to pick it among a lot of material.

10-12-2014, 05:13 PM	#130
Mike Cash Veteran Member Join Date: Jan 2007 Location: Japan Photos: Gallery Posts: 6,950	The funds donated in the past for the annual Takuma Kajiwara Grave Visit and Cleanup have been re-loaned again via Kiva. This time, your past generosity is going to help a young girl in Vietnam attend school. I'm hoping to be able to do this again this year. I have no idea if my PayPal problems are straightened out or not. If anyone would like to kick in, actual expenses will run a total of not more than about $30. My PayPal is "mikecashATgmail.com" (Replace the "AT" with @, of course).

10-12-2014, 05:56 PM	#131
Jacquot Loyal Site Supporter Join Date: May 2008 Location: Sun City Center, FL Photos: Gallery Posts: 2,544	Originally posted by Mike Cash The funds donated in the past for the annual Takuma Kajiwara Grave Visit and Cleanup have been re-loaned again via Kiva. This time, your past generosity is going to help a young girl in Vietnam attend school. I'm hoping to be able to do this again this year. I have no idea if my PayPal problems are straightened out or not. If anyone would like to kick in, actual expenses will run a total of not more than about $30. My PayPal is "mikecashATgmail.com" (Replace the "AT" with @, of course). Your Paypal account does not work, Mike. I was thinking about this just yesterday. I'm good for it. Hope you are doing well. David

10-15-2014, 08:21 AM	#132
Mike Cash Veteran Member Join Date: Jan 2007 Location: Japan Photos: Gallery Posts: 6,950	Originally posted by Jacquot Your Paypal account does not work, Mike. I was thinking about this just yesterday. I'm good for it. Hope you are doing well. David Thank you, David. I have just completed the verification process with PayPal and it should be working now.

10-21-2014, 07:16 PM	#133
Pioneer Pentaxian Join Date: Aug 2009 Location: Wandering the Streets Photos: Gallery \| Albums Posts: 1,411	Just tried Mike and was notified your account wasn't active. I'll try again tomorrow.

04-14-2018, 05:08 AM	#135
monochrome Loyal Site Supporter Join Date: Mar 2008 Location: Working From Home Photos: Gallery \| Albums Posts: 26,276	Originally posted by Peter R Don't own a Pentax, but since you have all done such great research, I thought I would add some info for you. I know the thread is old, but I have stumbled across probably the earliest known studio portrait by Kajiwara operating out of 810 Olive Street St. Louis. There has been some debate in this forum and elsewhere about when his studio was operating. The photo in my possession is signed T. Kajiwara, dated 1904. Also stamped with red Japanese 'hanko', and also impressed studio mark - Kajiwara Studio, 810 Olive St. St. Louis. Here is the interesting bit: the image is of a sophisticated looking middle-aged Japanese man in Western suit. Nothing to go on....but through guess work, putting two together I have found that it is of Baron Matsudaira, of samurai stock. He was vice-president of the Japan exhibits at the St. Louis Purchasing Exhibition in 1904 (also acted in this capacity at the world-famous Japan-British Exhibition of 1910). Thus, when visiting the St. Louis exhibition in 1904 in an official capacity, Baron Matsudaira would have sat for his emigre compatriot. A similar photo of him, but wearing a uniform can be found in Handbook of the Japan and Japanese Exhibits at the World's Fair, St. Louis (1904), by Hajime Hoshi. It's a beautiful photo, in extremely fine condition and in its original frame. Is this Kajiwara's earliest extant male portrait? I know this thread is old. Hope someone picks it up and is interested by this. Image is my copyright - permission must be sought for reuse. That’s a great post. Thank you for the addition. I have lived in St. Louis all my life and am a member of a private library (The St. Louis Mercantile Library Assn.) that coincidentally owns a number of his prints of society ladies and debutantes. Next time I am there I will inquire with the collection curator about your question.