Lot 2: JUNZO ITO (DATES UNKNOWN). SOUTH MANCHURIA RAILWAY CO. Circa 1930. 38x29 inches, 96x74 cm.

Description: JUNZO ITO (DATES UNKNOWN) SOUTH MANCHURIA RAILWAY CO. Circa 1930.
38x29 1/4 inches, 96 1/2x74 1/4 cm.
Condition B+: restored losses at edges, some affecting image; repaired tears and restoration in margins and image.
What at first glance appears to be a traditional railway poster is actually a sophisticated allegorical representation filled with imagery connected with the South Manchuria Railway Company. Amongst the prominent symbolism is the woman's clothing, a regional robe from Jiandao, an area on the border between China and Korea which had been annexed by Japan in 1910; her elaborate hair is actually a fan of decorative railway ties; she is holding a lamb, which is representative of the wool production in Manchuria, and the flowers behind her are ginseng, an indigenous Manchurian flower and a great source of revenue.