1938 Osaka Timber Association Map of Washington, Oregon, and Vancouver

This is a stunning 1938 or Showa 13 Japanese map of the American Pacific Northwest issued for the Osaka timber industry. In a manner reminiscent of Japanese panoramic railroad maps in the Yoshida school, this map covers the Pacific Coasts of Oregon, Washington, and British Columbia, including Vancouver Island and city. The region's rich pine forests are represented pictorially. A smaller inset map near Vancouver Island highlights the Queen Charlotte Islands further north - definitely a valuable source for timber resources. A table in the lower left breaks down regional timber production by month from 1908 - 1912. A larger table, in white, defines tree types and imports to Japan.

The map folds into an interesting cover wherein a large eagle carries an edge shaped globe. Imperial Japan, including Korea and Taiwan is highlighted in red while the eagle itself appears to be eating the Pacific Northwest. Advertisements for Japanese business appear in the border.

Publication History and Census

The map was issued in 1938 by the 'Osaka Timber Industry News Agency' (大阪木材新聞社), presumably an Osaka based trade organization servicing the lumber industry. This is the only example of this map known. It does not appear in the OCLC or in any Japanese collection catalogs we have been able to access. From some of the text on the booklet, we believe there may have been at least two issues, but this is ambiguous and uncertain.