Sold to sailors on shore leave in Oriental seaports as a souvenir of their trip abroad; a variety of export silkwork with flags, place for photographs, patriotic imagery and so on were made for sale, making this folk art category an exciting quest for the collector. This example is in pristine condition because the silkwork was found rolled in a drawer, never having been displayed or altered by exposure to light. Now in a period lemon gold appropriate frame. White center oval was intended to be filled with photo of the sailor and or his ship. Unusual in that it includes travel to the Phillipines too. Inscribed IN REMEMBRANCE OF MY CRUISE TO CHINA, etc etc. . This is probably one of the many souvenir pieces brought back from the Far East China Relief Expedition (or a bit later) which was part of a multi-national military effort known as the Eight Nation Alliance. The United States sent troops on this Expedition from 1900 and 1901 in the waning years of the Boxer Rebellion.
See folk art listings here for different examples of sailor's silkwork in inventory now
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