American photographer Sidney David Gamble left behind a valuable documentary collection showcasing images of workers and scenes from China approximately a century ago.
A woman shopping, taken around 1917-1919.
According to Photo100, sociologist and photographer Sidney David Gamble (1890-1968) made four trips to China between 1908 and 1932. He traveled extensively, capturing thousands of photographs of people and nature from around 100 years ago. Today, these works often appear in exhibitions and are included in curricula on history, culture, and religion.
Women helping each other with foot binding, photographed in Zhejiang, around 1917-1919.
Sidney David Gamble focused on investigating and researching economic and social issues in both rural and urban China. His works document many significant events, such as the great flood in Tianjin in 1918, popular education in the 1930s, and contemporary sensational cases.
A man holding onto a rope to cross the river, photographed in Sichuan. This is a type of rudimentary bridge; to cross the river, people tie themselves to a bamboo or wooden pole and move using gravity.
Currently, Duke University Library in the U.S. archives the original films of Sidney David Gamble’s works.
Laborers on the streets of Hangzhou.
A woman carrying a child begging on the streets, in Zhejiang.
A fortune teller working on the street in Zhejiang, specializing in auspicious date consultations for clients.
People gathering to watch cockfighting, in Kaifeng, Hebei Province.
Laborers waiting outside a temple in Shandong Province, serving the wealthy by carrying guests down the mountain on a chair.
A giant paper effigy carried in a funeral procession in Beijing, photographed around 1917-1919.
A bustling trading street in Hangzhou.
A beggar on a wooden boat, reaching out for alms from those on a ship, traveling from Hubei to Nanjing.
Inmates in a prison.
The Shuge website describes Sidney David Gamble’s series of photographs as “priceless,” as they preserve and provide rich information about human life in the early 20th century.
