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The illustrated front cover features Borobudur Temple in Java together with the KPM steamship Melchior Treub, while the rear cover carries a colorful route map showing the company\'s network throughout the archipelago and its connections to Australia. Inside are views of Java, Sumatra, Borneo, Celebes and other destinations, along with schedules and glimpses aboard KPM vessels including the Rumphius and Tasman. Particularly interesting is an advertisement directed to European visitors attending the 1915 Panama-Pacific International Exposition in San Francisco, recommending a return journey to Europe by way of Sydney and Java. That contemporary advertisement provides a wonderful period connection between Pacific travel, the Dutch East Indies and one of the great international expositions of 1915.
The booklet has been compared with institutional catalog records, including a matching copy held by the California State Library. Institutional records date the publication to approximately 1914–1915, with the California State Library noting that the vessel information and Panama-Pacific International Exposition advertisement support a probable 1915 publication date. The booklet comprises 40 illustrated pages and measures approximately 8 × 5 inches (20 × 13 cm).
Approximately 111 years old, this is an evocative piece of maritime and travel ephemera from an era when an ocean voyage was not simply transportation, but part of the destination itself. It should appeal to collectors of KPM and steamship memorabilia, Dutch East Indies and Indonesian history, early travel ephemera, maritime advertising, Java material, and Panama-Pacific International Exposition related material.
Please see the condition statement and photographs for a detailed assessment of this original booklet\'s age-related wear. Photographs form part of the description.
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