New Britain herald., 1927-06-17
PR070S 0f ROYAL
 COURT OF kASHMIR
Prahlh Price Knott Returns
 From Long Trip to Orient

Washington, D. C.. June 17-An emerald two and one half inches across gleams in all its natural bril- liance on the pink. silk clad. manly 1 chest of the Mahajara of Kashmir at the headquarters of the National Geographic Society. Washington, D. c.
 The Maharaja in the full panoply of oriental splendor has been brought to the United States by Franklin Price Knott, camera painter" on the first natural color court of Kashmir.
 Mir. Knott has just returned from an eight months trip to the picture l places Of the Orient. requiring a journey of 10000 miles. In his l luggage he brought back the color of the Orient in few hundyed na- tural color photographs.
 MT. Knott went to Japan to pho- | tosraph geisha girls and Mt. Fuji, to China for Budda temples, to l kashmir for the most beautiful val ley in the world and to the Island | of Bali in the Dutch East Indies for | tho unspoiled perfection of re- markedly colorful native life prac- ticaily unknown to travellers.
 While in Kashmir Mir. Knott re- ceived permission to photograph the | Maharaia of Kashmir in his corona ton costume.
 Wanted to Come
 'The Maharaia expressed an eager desire to come to United States" said Mir. Knott at National Geographic Society headquarters
 '"The Maharaja summoned me to the green and blue tiled pool in the royal palace at Jammu where he was bathing with a dozen natives diving and splashing." continued Mr. Knott. After the swim servants brought to him tray after tray of exquisite jewelry: pins. necklaces, rings, and bracelets. From some trays he would select piece and wave the rest away. When I finally photographed him with his aides, ffc NdS "tdl IH6, ] ~oS toaos $f,vpVs~ 900 worth of pearls.
 "While I was in Jammu the Vice roy of India paid a visit to the Maharaja. Great preparations were made for his visit and I was able 10 get pictures of the elephants caparisoned in brilliant cloths bear in1 gilded seats and pony with a kings ransom of emeralds on his bridle. I made the photographs while the court rehearsed the re- ception at the railroad station the day before the Viceroy arrived. For the event the station was decorated with Persian carpets and Kashmir hand-woven work.
 "Both the Viceroy and the Ma haraja are fond of shooting so the Indian prince had hundreds of his subjects cut road through the deep snows of the pass. Motor cars then took the party to the duck marshes of the Vale of Kashmir. Tho Kashmir duck record is held by seven men who shot c,1oo ducks in five hours, the Maharaja leading with 513 ducks to his credit. drove through the pass day later and rented a houseboat with living rooms, bedrooms and baths which I used while taking color pictures.
 "It is regrettable that in this Vale of Kashmir surrounded by glitter ing ice-capped mountains and con- .idered the worlds most beautiful valley. there are almost no women except those of the laboring classes. to be reen." said Mir. Knott. Tt is contrary to social custom for women of the better classes to be seen on the streets or In public places
 Many Difficulties
 Many difficulties confronted MT. Knott that photographer in black and white does not meet. He found it necessary to hire an entire rail- road car at Calcutta in order to use the bath as a developing room. In this special car he rode 5000 miles in India reaching the border sta tions near the Afghanistan line. On account of fandit scares special guards were posted while he drove through the famous Khaibar pass. Once in Bali he travelled 50 miles to secure a picture of new rice. half grown rice and ripe rice with suitable background.
 Mr. Knott gave up a promising career as painter in water colors to "paint" with camera. He is one of the pioneers in color photography in the United States and contributed the first natural color photographs printed in the National Geographic Magazine. Mir. Knott travelled in the Orient under the auspices of the National Geographic Society and has made available to the Society his collection of color photographs.