Date of use : 1975 Hong Kong

Bridge Slide Club 1975 Salon Score Card – Hong Kong

This document is a notification card that reflects the international communication networks of photographic clubs and exhibition circuits during the 1970s. The front of the card identifies the sender as Bridge Slides Club – YMCA of Hong Kong, 51 Bridges Street, Hong Kong. This indicates that the card originated from a photographic organization operating within the YMCA in Hong Kong. As suggested by its name, the club was primarily dedicated to the practice and promotion of color slide photography, a format that gained widespread popularity during the mid-twentieth century.

The Bridge Slides Club functioned within the institutional framework of the YMCA (Young Men's Christian Association). Founded in the nineteenth century, the YMCA developed into an international organization supporting educational, social, and cultural activities. Throughout the twentieth century many YMCA branches hosted artistic clubs and community groups, including photographic societies. The Bridges Street location in Hong Kong served as one of the organization's important activity centers during the colonial period.

The reverse side of the card bears the heading "The 4th BSC International Salon of Color Slides 1975." This indicates that the document served as an official notification card sent to a participant in an international photographic exhibition. During the mid-twentieth century international photographic salons organized by camera clubs became an important platform for both amateur and professional photographers to present their work. Such exhibitions commonly included several thematic categories and were evaluated by appointed juries.

The printed evaluation table on the card lists the categories Pictorial, Nature, and Photo-Journalism, which represent widely recognized classifications within international photographic competitions. Numerical scores are recorded for several entries, and the card indicates that one of the submitted works was accepted for exhibition. The notation "Acceptance: 1" suggests that one photograph submitted by the participant was selected for inclusion in the salon exhibition. Within the photographic community, acceptance into an international salon was generally regarded as a significant professional or artistic recognition.

The card also lists Tse Kin-Bong, James as the Honorary Salon Chairman. The presence of multiple honorary titles after his name suggests that he held affiliations with several photographic organizations or federations. While the exact institutional details are not fully documented here, the titles imply a degree of recognition within the international photographic exhibition circuit.

The envelope address indicates that the card was sent to Robert W. Ginn in Wichita, Kansas, United States. This demonstrates the international reach of the exhibition, with participants submitting photographic slides from different parts of the world. During the 1960s and 1970s photographers frequently mailed their slide transparencies to overseas exhibitions, making international salon circuits an important mechanism for global photographic exchange.

From a philatelic perspective, the card represents an example of international airmail correspondence processed through the Hong Kong postal system. A blue "By Air Mail / Par Avion" label appears on the card, indicating that it was transported via international air mail services. The postage stamp is a Hong Kong one-dollar stamp depicting Queen Elizabeth II, reflecting the colonial administrative status of Hong Kong under British rule during that period. The postal cancellation includes the name Hong Kong and the year 1975, confirming the approximate date of mailing.

The 1970s marked a period in which color photography, particularly slide film formats such as Kodachrome and other transparency films, gained strong popularity among amateur photographers. Color slides allowed photographers to present their work through projection systems, which became a central feature of photographic club meetings and exhibition salons. As a result, specialized "color slide salons" emerged as an important format within international photographic competitions.

From a collecting perspective, this document can be associated with several thematic categories. It is particularly relevant for collections focusing on international photographic exhibitions, camera club culture, color slide photography of the 1970s, and photographic competition documentation. Additionally, it holds value for collectors interested in Hong Kong postal history, international airmail correspondence, and historical documents related to photographic societies.

In conclusion, this notification card represents an important historical artifact illustrating the global networks that connected photographers during the second half of the twentieth century. The correspondence between a photographic club in Hong Kong and a photographer in the United States demonstrates how international exhibition circuits facilitated cultural exchange and artistic recognition within the photographic community. Documents of this kind provide valuable insight into the institutional and social structures that supported photographic culture during the modern era.

This item is documented as part of the Photography in Postal History research project.
For research context, see the Research Methodology.
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