Color Comes to China

[Dirk]

Here is something you don't see everyday...pre-war China Marine color images....not hand tinted stuff, but real color images taken on Kodak slide film during the summer of 1938. A quick internet search shows Kodak made color slide film available to the market c. 1936. The man who took these was in Tientsin the summer of 1938 and photographed his company doing a practice parade on the Marine's Glacis near their barracks. Hence their informal appearance....There are others images in this series showing more of the company parade, the Band, camp life, Mongolian ponies, old temples and local Chinese citizens, but this is enough for now. Amazing that color film reached China so soon after its introduction and they have been rediscovered.....I am most grateful to the family of the Marine who took these images and am overjoyed they survived, so we can see to me what has always been a black and white world. I will add the family has provided great background information on this man and we hope to expand on his story in a documentary being produced locally on the China Marines. In addition, the man producing the documentary has been given a lead on some privately taken film footage of the Peking Marines...If true, I am looking forward to seeing that! Enjoy.....

[Dirk]

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[Dirk]

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[bobgee]

Well, Dirk! WOW! Color images from 1938 China! Great looking pics. You don't see China Marines wearing khaki very often. Not as sharp-looking as forest green wool or twill. But RARE nevertheless! Once again you've come up with great & rare period stuff. Thanks for posting. Semper Fi..........Bobgee

[124cav]

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Always good to see China Marines stuff and even better that its in Colour

I dont think ive ever seen prewar colour from a China grouping

Thanks for sharing

 

Sam

[R Michael]

I am loving these color shots! Dont think I have ever seen slides of this period ever.

 

Thanks again!

 

Mike

 

oooh oooh I would love to see more

[Dirk]

Thanks guys for your kind words. Yes, I think pre-war color is rare wherever it was taken, but in China must be rather unique. These came mounted in a blue bordered frame without any logo on the slide mount. They show some loss of color, but it can be re-enhanced using some advanced photo shop skills. There may also be a second type of color slide film out there that has not faded at all, with rich deep colors but shows a large amount of grain. More on that later.

There would only have been a brief window when color was available to the marines overseas before the war and must have been a expensive to buy and develop. But there were also Marines taking home movies over there as well. Recently, the home movies of a 4th Marine Commander was rediscovered in the Marines archives and is now available for view. Believe it or not the original was given to the Marines in the 1950's but was poorly stored and became usable. Thankfully, a researcher tracked down second copy at another location. Very neat to see the personal side of senior Marines during this time including his tour of the Sochow positions and private trip up the Yangtze river on a steamer.....like something out of the "Sand Pebbles" but with more river traffic. Also, still "missing" is newsreel shot China Marine footage that we know was taken (we have written and printed accounts) but has not yet been found in any news archive. Hopefully someone will find it.

[FightenIrish35]

Great shots, I love 30's and 40's photos that are in color. Thanks for shareing.