1889 HAWAIIAN ALBUMEN PHOTO IOLANI PALACE HAWAII ANTIQUE CDV ARTIFACT
Item History & Price
| Reference Number: Avaluer:4604397 |
Please see the other items I have listed. This listing is for an original circa 1889 7" x 9" albumen photograph (not a modern copy) of Iolani Palace the official residence of King Kalakaua (1882-1891) and Queen Liliuokalani (1891-1893) of the Hawaiian Islands. This is a great photo because you can see how beautiful and well manicured the French formal gardens of the palace grounds were during the golden years of the monarchy era. They were created by King Kalakaua and were meant t...o be enjoyed from the high verandas and interior of the palace. Also visible to the left of the palace is Hale Akala the 2-story 10-room pink Moroccan-style bungalow where the King and Queen spent most of their time when they resided on the palace grounds. The palace itself was only used for formal occasions. Above Hale Akala in the photo is the government owned Hawaiian Hotel built by King Kamehameha V on Hotel and Richards Streets which was demolished in the 1920's and is now the site of the old YMCA building. Visible above the Hawaiian Hotel is Princess Ruth Keelikolani's mansion Keoua Hale which was built as the direct result of an architectural rivalry she was having with King Kalakaua and was located just three blocks away from Iolani Palace on Emma Street (now Queen Emma Street). Keoua Hale was demolished in the 1920's by the "Territory of Hawaii" and is now the site of the far less glamorous Central Intermediate School. Puowaina (Punchbowl), Kupanihi (Pacific Heights) and Nuuanu Valley are also visible in the distance.The cornerstone for Iolani Palace was laid on December 31, 1879 with full Masonic rites. Construction was completed in 1882 and the palace was filled with centuries-old royal Hawaiian heirlooms as well as 19th century gifts from various European and Asian rulers. Furniture-including two thrones-were purchased from the A.H. Davenport and Co. who also produced furniture for the White House. King Kalakaua outfitted Iolani Palace with the most up-to-date amenities which included indoor toilets, hot and cold running water, and telephones. Gas chandeliers installed when the Palace was first built were replaced by electric lighting 5 years later (less than 7 years after Edison invented the first practical incandescent bulb, and, 4 years before the White House). At a typical Iolani Palace ball, after dinner, wine, and much dancing, guests were free to explore the palace grounds which were lit up by torches, colorful laterns and the electric lamps on the exterior of the palace. King Kalakaua and Queen Liliuokalani were the last of a long line of Polynesian rulers. They were the 55th generation of their family to rule. After the American-backed overthrow of the Hawaiian Monarchy in 1893, Iolani Palace became the headquarters for the self-proclaimed "Provisional Government" and was known from then on as the "Government Building." Her Majesty Queen Liliuokalani was imprisoned in a guest room on the second floor for eight months where she awaited her execution. She was eventually pardoned after the U.S. and Japan issued formal protests declaring that they would intervene militarily if the "Provisional Government" executed the Queen.
