Prior to the 19th century, the Chinese were concerned that European trade and missionary activity would upset the order of the empire. Strictly controlled and subject to import tariffs, European traders were limited to operating in Canton and Macao. Following a series of military defeats against Britain and France, Qing China were slowly forced to permit extraterritorial privileges for foreign nationals and even cessions of Chinese sovereignty over certain ports and mineral rights. Foreign trade was approved there for the British and French by the 1860 Peking Convention. Between 1895 and 1900, these two powers were joined by Japan, Germany, Russia, Austria-Hungary, Italy and Belgium – countries without concessions elsewhere in China – in establishing self-contained concessions each with their own prisons, schools, barracks, and hospitals. Offered here is a nice grouping of two photo albums, likely belonging to two different German soldiers during their service in German-occupied China. The first is an attractive black lacquered presentation photo album, 14 x 10.5 in., featuring a raised colored image of a woman and a dragon, some of which has chipped off. The 195 images are all numbered and variously show: soldiers at leisure among the locals; exterior views of monasteries; temples; mule-pulled carts; busy city streets filled with locals going about their chores; beautiful nature scenes both on the ground and aerial; close-ups of the awe-inspiring architecture; trains; German camps; farmers hard at work; a bustling market; the soldiers participating in some friendly competition and more. Some expected spotting to the pages (not affecting the photos) and light chipping to the cover. Overall, very good. This album is accompanied by a numbered list giving a brief explanation of the photos up to 42 and is dated at the top right corner ’20.8.11’; WITH a second black lacquered photo album showing a traditional Chinese dragon on the cover, 14 x 10 in., the first image being a group photo of fourteen men from a Masterson Division with their last names appearing beneath. The owner of this album is likely one of those sailors. The 101 photos vary in size and show: numerous German ships; group photos of the men lined up onboard their ship, chowtime; waves crashing over the bow of ships; sailors enjoying some free time to take a bath; the men dressed in tribal clothing, the men lined up for inspection; a sailor shooting at an unknown object from the deck; German gravesites; an Indian escort for the crown princess in Calcutta; statues; kimono-clad women dancing for a crowd; men sparring; fishermen and more. Light chipping to the covers, else very good. Two pieces.