Trading With China: Methods Found Successful in Dealing With the Chinese
New York: Guaranty Trust Company of New York, 1919.
Small Quarto (9 1/2 x 6 3/8 inches; 240 x 162 mm), 24 pages, in side-stapled, brown wrappers (soft cover).
A rare 1919 guide to doing business in China by Guaranty Trust Company of New York, a predecessor company of J.P. Morgan Chase.
The bank offers advice on marketing, correct packaging of products, the use of middlemen (known as compradores), as well as other information for American companies wishing to sell in China.
Some of the language is rather patronizing, no doubt reflecting early 20th-century attitudes to China: "We must make goods that will please the Chinaman and not necessarily ourselves. If we are selling print goods, we must make them of Chinese designs, even though to our mind our designs are more handsome." (page 22). On the other hand, there's useful, valuable advice on such things as import and export formalities and legal issues. The bank also repeatedly emphasizes the need to have Chinese-language material as well as Chinese-speaking representatives. It's also important, the bank says, that "your representative in China must be a man of education and tact. The quality of aggressiveness, which makes for success in the United States must be toned down in dealings with the Chinese, a dignified race that abhor the breeziness of a certain type of salesman." (page 6).
The publisher, Guaranty Trust Company of New York, was founded in 1863 and was one of the biggest banks in the United States. It merged with J.P. Morgan & Co. in 1959 to form Morgan Guaranty Trust Company. Morgan Guaranty was known for serving blue-chip corporate clients as well as high-net-worth individuals.
This pamphlet is rare. OCLC shows no institutional holdings. No others in commerce.
A fascinating guide on how to do business in China during the first quarter of the 20th century. The pamphlet features numerous black-and-white photos of scenes in China.
CONDITION: Soiling to wrappers, along with a few nicks and tears, slight curling to page corners, and rusting to staples. About Very Good. Item #2534
Price: $400.00