Burma Elephants Hauling Logs Stereoview Keystone View Co. 1919 Salwin River For Sale

This antique stereoview card, published by the Keystone View Company, captures a compelling scene of labor in Maulmain, Burma. The image, titled '12553—Giant Beast of Burden, Patient Elephants Hauling Logs from the Salwin River, Maulmain, Burma,' depicts two mahouts riding large Asiatic elephants as they use chains to pull heavy logs through the water and onto the muddy riverbank. The card is numbered 509 at the top center and 12553 in the title line.The reverse side of the card contains an extensive educational description regarding the geography and economy of Burma, noting its location on the Indo-China peninsula and its primary exports such as rice, petroleum, and rubies. It specifically details the role of the elephant as a 'lifting machine' and a primary source of power, comparing its utility to that of horses in the United States. The text includes geographical coordinates (Lat. 16° N.; Long. 98° E.) and is marked with the Keystone View Company copyright. This stereograph is a classic example of early 20th-century ethnographic and industrial photography intended for the Holmes-style stereoscope viewer.