An interesting character study of a young Kaiserliche Marine matrose (ordinary seaman) wearing a tropenhelm (tropical helmet) and holding a small delicately curved pipe between his teeth. The photo was probably taken just before his overseas deployment to one of Imperial Germany's far-flung imperial holdings possibly in China or the South Pacific.

Cabinet Photograph
C. M. Forneck - Photographer
Merseburg, Saxony-Anhalt, Germany
c. 1900s