Japanese Art

187. [BASEBALL - JAPAN] Shihon Gakkou-hen. SHO^GAKU TOKUHON Maki no Ichi. Aichi-ken [Nagoya] Shihongakko^ [Teacher's College] n.d. [1870's] An interesting little elementary school reader from the first series of textbooks designed and created by the Teachers College Normal School system in Japan after the Meiji restoration to introduce "Western Learning" to the country. What follows is a series of excerpts from an informative article found online at http://wwwwp.mext.go.jp/hakusyo/book/hpbz198103/hpbz198103_2_035.html "The Normal School, which was under the direct jurisdiction of the Department of Education, was also requested to compile elementary school textbooks on the basis of its practical experience. Also an office for editing elementary school textbooks was set up in the Normal School in December, 1872. The Department of Education encouraged independent prefectures to reprint the textbooks and other educational material which it and the Normal School had compiled, and it was not long before… Read More

New York: A.A. Vantine & Co., Inc., 1916. A RARE catalogue, and in lovely condition, of the major importer of Oriental goods into America from 1866 to 1921. Very Good Plus in original full color pictorial wrappers, 120 pp. plus 2 order pages at rear, pre-addressed envelope tipped at page 106. numerous black and white and color photographs throughout, small tears at spine ends, small spot rear wrapper, else Near Fine. In 1916 Vantine's was located at Fifth Avenue and 39th Street.. Clothing, furniture, housewares, fabric, toys, and other merchandise imported from China and Japan are described in the catalogue, and merchandise from Vantine's has been avidly collected over the years. Worldcat locates no copies of the 1916 edition. . First Edition. Pictorial Printed Wrappers. Very Good Plus/No Jacket, As Issued. 8vo - over 7¾" - 9¾" tall.

1699 Han Dynasty History Japanese Chinese Tsuzoku Ryokan Kiji JAPAN 10v ASIA
A rare, 17th century woodblock print collection bound in the "fukurotoji (variously translated as "bound-pocket," or "pouch" binding)" style (Keio). The text gives kanji (Chinese characters), and Japanese pronunciation in katakana on the right to help Japanese readers.

This rare, 1699 set is an early history of the Western Chinese Han Dynasty! The Han Dynasty was one of the longest of China's major dynasties. In terms of power and prestige, the Han Dynasty in the East rivalled its almost contemporary Roman Empire in the West. With only minor interruptions it lasted a span of over four centuries and was considered a golden age in Chinese history especially in arts, politics and technology. All subsequent Chinese dynasties looked back to the Han period as an inspiring model of a united empire and self-perpetuating government.

Item number: #7729
Price: $750
Aoi Yuen [Ed]
通俗兩漢紀事/
Tsuuzoku Ryokan Kiji; Commonwealth… Read More

Rare set of 3 volumes of aromatic herbs from Kan'en Iwasaki's multi-volume botanical series Honzo Zufu: Hokusabu (Iconographia Plantarum), originally compiled from 1828 and later published in 92 volumes. This set of 3 volumes (volumes 6, 7, 8 in the series) includes 21 pages of text and indexes, and 100 color woodcuts of fragrant herbs or medicinal plants.Plants include angelica, peony, pepper, cardamom, nutmeg, turmeric, jasmine, tulip, rosemary, and many more. The plants were used in Chinese traditional medicine or kanpo.Condition: Washi paper covers scuffed, but interior clean and bright, color plates vivid and vibrant.Kan'en Iwasaki or Tsunemasa Iwasaki (1786–1842) was a Japanese botanist, zoologist and entomologist. His botanical studies were influenced by Johann Weinmann.

1721 Japanese Samurai Katana Woodblock Swords New Blade Makers Ryoko Kanda 3v

An interesting Edo and Meiji woodblock-print of 'New Blade Maker's List.' This collection is the stamping of amateur warriors' blades and polishers throughout the Edo period and is equivalent to the sword of the Meiji era and later called "modern sword.". It follows up on the older collections of blade writings which summarized the accumulated knowledge of amateur warriors' blades and polishers throughout the Muromachi period. After the battle of Sekigahara in Keicho 4 (AD 1599), the Tokugawa shogunate opened and war ended, demand and production methods for swords changed, and later works came to be called "new swords."
This rare 1721 edition is written in a column handwritten format with furigana usage for easier reading. This edition contains excellent illustrations of different blades throughout!

Item number: #10746
Price: $750
KANDA, Ryoko
Shinba Meikan, New Blade Makers' List (Arami-mei-zukushi) (新刃銘鑑)… Read More

1721 Japanese Sword Katana Arami Meizukushi Illustrated Handwritten New Blades

An interesting Edo and Meiji woodblock-print of 'New Blades.' This collection is the stamping of amateur warriors' blades and polishers throughout the Edo period and is equivalent to the sword of the Meiji era and later called "modern sword.". It follows up on the older collections of blade writings which summarized the accumulated knowledge of amateur warriors' blades and polishers throughout the Muromachi period. After the battle of Sekigahara in Keicho 4 (AD 1599), the Tokugawa shogunate opened and war ended, demand and production methods for swords changed, and later works came to be called "new swords." This 'New Blades' book includes information on large and small swords, knives, tools for forgings, polishing, and repairing, as well as stamps of sword makers and the illustrious line patterns between the edge and spine called the Hamon.
This rare 1721 edition is written in a column handwritten format with furigana… Read More

174 pp. photo-illustrated book. Folio. Limited to 2000. Very good. Illus. dust wrapper over cloth covers, housed in pictorial boards case. [787]
This copy boldly dedicated by Ed Hardy to Jonathan Shaw; a unique copy with fine associations.

San Francisco.: Nippon Yusen Kaisha. 1st Edition.. 1927.. Filled with countless black & white photographic images and striking cover art as well as numerous advertisements for hotels and passenger ships together with fashions of the era. In depth articles and commentary, and a focus on trans-pacific personalites. Each issue has 56pp. 31 x 23cm, original pictorial wrappers some with a mild vertical crease. Near fine copies. A loosely inserted card from New York's Japan Society states that this periodical, published in San Francisco in English was "published with the purpose of making Asian countries, particularly Japan, better known in the United States, and thus promoting better international relations, the magazine is sent to you as an activity of the Townsend Harris Committee. The attractive covers and format are reminiscent of the better known Asia Magazine. Articles include: 60 Years of Steam-Shipping. An History of Trans-Pacific Service - W.C. Bunner; Trans-Pacific Personalities; Hails and… Read More

1691 Japanese Handwritten Noh Play Theater Mask Demons Warrior Japan Shimogakari

An interesting Edo woodblock-print of 'Noh Chant Collections' from the early 17th century. Noh chants were adopted from Buddhist prayers and went with the musical background of Noh plays, which to this day is one of the most important performing arts in Japan. Noh plays borrowed from other arts with masks, music, and even structure. A normal Noh piece has five plays, god, warrior, woman, living person, and demon, which are all grouped into three dramatic units.
This rare four volume collection from 1691 is written in a column handwritten format with furigana usage for easier reading!

Item number: #15680
Price: $750
Unknown

Shimogakari Noh Chant Collections shimogakarishuuitaiseiutai下掛拾遺大成謡（したかけしゅういたいせいうたい）
[Edo: Genroku 3 1691].

Details:
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Collation: Complete with all pages; 4 volumes
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Language: Japanese
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Binding: Softcover; tight & secure
·… Read More

1859 Japanese Samurai Lord Toyotomi Hideyoshi Tokugawa Osaka Castle Illustrated

A rare, 19th century Japanese woodblock print of "Taikouki". Taikouki is a biography describing the life of Taihe Toyotomi Hideyoshi, a Japanese samurai and daimyo (lord) considered the second "Great Unifier" of Japan following Nobunaga and preceding the Tokugawa Shogunate. Hideyoshi left a legacy including Osaka Castle, the Tokugawa class systems, the restriction of weapons, and the construction and restoration of many temples some of which are still visible in Kyoto. This book is a classic Edo era picture book describing and illustrating Toyotomi Hideyoshi's life illustrated by Utagawa Kuniyoshi! The woodblock prints began being made in 1855 and were completed in 1884. The images and text focus primarily on the military with detailed accuracy on armor, weapons, family crests, interiors, and more!
This rare biography
is written in a column handwritten format with furigana for easier reading and includes illustrations of… Read More

Osborn, Captain SherardJapanese Fragments, With Facsimiles of Illustrations by Artists of Yedo.
London, 1861 First Edition. Publisher Bradbury and Evans. Octavo. Pp. 139. Fine condition in modern full calf with extensive gilding to covers and spine. Complete with all 27 illustrations: Six full-page colored plates, Eleven full-page B&W woodblock plates, and Ten B&W woodblock prints within the text. The text is flawless, no inscriptions, spotting, or tears, and is clean, bright and tight. The bindings have no wear or damage and all of the edges are in bright gilt. This is a pristine copy in a very attractive Fine binding by Bayntun of Bath.

Boston: Museum of Fine Arts, 1939. 1st. Hardcover and large format folio. Still the best description of his life and work, supplemented with a large format folio with 138 quality reproductions of his work (printed in Japan). Published for the Museum of Fine Arts, Boston by The Harvard Univ. Press, 1939. Volume I is text, volume II is a portfolio of plates. Text volume viii, 545 pages, 30 cm. Hardcover. No dust jacket.as issued. Volume II, has all plates called for: 8 color and 138 collotype. 13-1/44" x 19-1/4". Collotypes by Otsuka Kogeisha, Tokyo, Color prints by Shozaburo Watanabe, Tokyo. Shipds from Hawaii with free Priority Mail upgrade within US. Torii Kiyonaga, original name Sekiguchi Shinsuke, (born 1752, Sagami Province, Japan-died June 28, 1815, Edo [Tokyo]), one of the most important Japanese artists of the Ukiyo-e movement. He was the pupil of Torii Kiyomitsu and for a time headed the Torii school. Kiyonaga concentrated on the depiction of famous beauties. He designed many large… Read More

Kyoto Shoin Co., Ltd., Japan, 1977 Book. Good. Hardcover. 1st Edition. Japanese and English text.; Hardcover (cloth without dust jacket - as issued) in slipcase with carton box.; 23 x 32 cm; 3.5 Kg; Colour illustrations throughout, each with caption in Japanese and English.; Used with signs of wear on the card box. Signs of wear on the hardcover cloth and slipcase. The characters on the spine of the slipcase spine and also on the spines of the hardcover cloth are faded. Interior in very good condition.; HARD TO FIND.; Two volume set comprising Color Section (217 pages) and Monochrome Section (238 pages).; With texts by the noted ceramic scholar Masahiko Kawahara, this two-volume publication illustrates a vast selection of Ko-sometsuke ('old blue and white') porcelain presented in 934 catalogue entries. A thorough introduction in Japanese and English outlines the most relevant features of this porcelain ware produced in China for the Japanese market during the late Ming dynasty (1368-1644),… Read More

Colour woodblock triptych of two of the most famous sumo wrestlers of the Meiji Era.
Depicts a sumo wrestling training bout between Hitachiyama Taniemon (left) and Umenotani Otomatsu, later Umegatani Totaro II (right).
Hitachiyama (1874-1922) and Umegatani (1878-1927) were the two wrestlers most associated with the "golden age" of Meiji-era sumo wrestling.
With tate-gyoji or referee Kimura Shounosuke XVI holding a gunbai at left, and Ikazuchi stable master and yokuzuna Omegatani Totaro I (1854-1928) seated with fan at right.
Gyokuha (also known Tamanami) was a Japanese print maker who flourished in the Meiji and Taisho eras, circa 1900-1920. He was probably a studio artist for the publisher, Matsuki Heikichi, and best known for his sumo wrestler portraits.
Published January 5, Meiji 33 (1900) by Matsuki Heikichi of Yoshikawacho, Nihonbashi, Tokyo.
Beautifully preserved and in very good condition, bold colour and sharp impression, no foxing.

London: International Art Pulbishing Company, 1900. Hard Cover. Good/No Jacket. International Art Pulbishing Company, circa 1900, no date stated. One of the first hundred copies. Hard Cover. Brown leather spine, grey parchment boards. Extremely scarce, Book measures 15 by 11, weighs over 6 lbs. .Original decorative tissues are intact. Cover has considerable shelfwear/ scuffing and moderate soiling. Spine is chipped at both ends. Pages are clean and unmarked, toned, Binding is a bit shaken, hinges are perfect. A stain from a pressed flower is on the back pastedown and flyleaf. This book is in 4 parts: The Great English Masters, by Fritz Stahl; William Hogarth by Edward Hutton; Dante Gabriel Rosetti by Arthur Symons; Japanese Art (The Kano School) by Lawrence Binyon. The Great English Masters: Two cuts in four colours, 43 drawings on superfine unglazed art paper, 5 tinted illustrations and 2 engravings. William Hogarth: Two cuts in four colours, 42 drawings on superfine unglazed art paper, 19… Read More