[China] “Die Europa im Shanghai 1928” a sheet mounted with six photographs recording the visit of the “Europa 2506” an aeroplane

SHANGHAI, China. - [Herr HASENÖHRL – possible photographer].

“Die Europa im Shanghai 1928” a sheet mounted with six photographs recording the visit of the “Europa 2506” a Junkers W33L monoplane, during an ‘around the world’ attempt by Baron von Huenefeld and K.G. Lindner. [Shanghai:] October 1928. 6 excellent quality ‘snapshots’ (4 1/8 x 3 1/8in; 106 x 80mm) on single green thin card mount (9 ¾ x 13 5/8in; 223 x 346mm), general title as above and with individual captioning in white beneath each image identifying those pictured in each image. (Light fading to mount). Provenance: removed from a larger group of photographs (see lot 155).

An historic moment: the attempt was subsequently abandoned in Japan, but the Baron had already made his mark by being the first to fly from Europe to the Americas.

The attribution of the photographs to Herr Hasenöhrl is based on an assumption: that Frau Hasenöhrl accompanied her husband when they visited the areodrome to greet the the Baron, but he is not pictured in any of the images?

The individuals who are pictured include: Frau Hasenöhrl; Baron von Huenefeld; K.G. Lindner; General Chang; Mrs. Chang; Herr Wiedmann; and Colonel Shen. The first photo is a more generalized view of the aerodrome where the plane landed (the plane can be seen in the middle distance).

On September 18, 1928 Baron von Huenefeld and [K.[arl] G.[unnar] Lindner …[(d. 1943, Swedish)]) took off from Berlin in the "Europa 2506"  (sister ship of the Bremen) in an attempt to fly to East Asia and onward round-the-world.  [After four stops (Sofia, Bulgaria; Bushire, Iran; Calcutta, India; Hanoi, French Indo-China).] … They flew on via Canton, China arriving at Shanghai, China on October 15th.  [Where the present series of photographs were taken]. They continued on to Japan landing in Tokyo on October 20, 1928, two days later than planned.  History is somewhat silent on their attempt to cross the Pacific but its known that they gave up on October 25th when weather conditions did not improve and Huenefeld's health became suspect. Baron …  von Huenefeld … died … in Berlin on February 6, 1929 (1892-1929).” (https://www.wingnet.org/rtw/RTW001S.HTM).