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1. AMANUMA Shun'ichi. INDO BIJUTSU SHASHINSHÛ. Nara, Taishô 15 [1926]. Two plate volumes, but lacking the explanatory booklet. Illustrated with 233 (of 240) photographs of archaeological sites throughout the Indian cultural sphere showing Buddhist and Mughal architecture, architectural details, sculptures, and - to a lesser extent - painted and tile decoration. Two oblong folios (31 x 45 cm), tassel bound in light brown buckram, with title on upper board in dark brown. Each volume has a title-page, an index of photographs, and a map - all in Japanese. One leaf has been trimmed short, where illustrations have been excised, and there are blank spots where other illustrations have been removed. Overall good condition, save the missing photos, but sold with all faults. $150.00

2. [ART - JAPAN] ONE HUNDRED MASTERPIECES OF FAMOUS UKIYOYE. Tokyo: Takamizawa Colour Print Studio, 1937. 106 pp. 4to., red cloth stamped in gilt and blind. Corners and spine frayed, joints worn. Ex-library with usual markings (none on prints). Grey paper fan-folded text pages printed in dark blue; 100 pages are slit to hold a postcard-size woodblock print, each one different, with brief English captions and notes on Japanese. Prints in excellent condition. Various artists, including Okamura Toshinobu, Torii Kiyonobu, Suzuki Harushige, Toshusai Sharaku, Utamaro, Kabukido Enkyo, Chokosai Eisho, Hokusai and others. $175.00

ARTIST’S PROOF EDITION, signed by Audsley

3. AUDSLEY, George Ashdown. THE ORNAMENTAL ARTS OF JAPAN. London: Sampson, Low, Marston, Searle, & Rivington, 1882. This copy is no. 22 of 50 artist's proof copies issued to English subscribers; it is signed by Audsley on the limitation page. 70 chromolithographic plates, plus 31 black & white plates, showing drawings and paintings, embroidery, textile fabrics, lacquer, cloisonné enamel, etc. Two folio volumes in strikingly tooled and gilt green, full leather bindings by Birdshall & Son, with gilt inner dentelles, marbled endpapers, a.e.g. The spines have faded to brown and show superficial rubbing on raised bands and joints. Text leaves show light foxing, mostly in the top margin. Two of the chromo illustrations have slight nubby adhesions from facing tissue guards; and two other tissue guards are torn. Overall, the illustrations are clean, sharp, and often quite striking. This is a Victorian masterpiece of Japanism in beautiful, original condition. $5,500.00

VARVARA BUBNOVA - THE “V” IN MAVO?

4. [AVANT GARDE - JAPAN] BUBNOVA, Varvara. E-Iri Shôsetsu SUPEIDO NO JO-OO [QUEEN OF SPADES]. 8vo., slipcase. Shomotsu Tenbôsha, Shôwa 12 [1937]. #394 of 500cc. Perhaps Pushkin's finest literary work, written in 1834, here translated into Japanese by Nakayama and illustrated by the important Russian expatriate Varvara Bubnova (1886-1983), who lived in Japan from 1923 to 1958. With deep roots in the Russian avant garde, she became very influential in Taishô and Shôwa era Japanese art circles. There are those who even claimed that the "V" in MAVO refers to her, though that claim has been called into question. Nonetheless her relationship with the MAVO group and other members of the Japanese avant garde is indubitable. Here she has illustrated the Pushkin in a dark and brooding (but not, alas, avant-garde) style. The book itself is very good, with an interesting exposed back binding. The slipcase is fading and splitting. Very unusual, even in Japan, virtually unheard of abroad. $575.00

INSCRIBED BY MURAYAMA TOMOYOSHI

4a. [AVANT GARDE - JAPAN] MURAYAMA Tomoyoshi. GENZAI NO GEIJUTSU TO MIRAI NO GEIJUTSU MAVO. Tokyo, Ôbundô, Taishô 13 [1924] Decorated wrappers (designed by Murayama). 8vo., 11 plates, 262pp, finals. The plates represent the only record of a number of constructions by Murayama, one of the leaders of the MAVO group and certainly the most influential Japanese artist of the avante-garde. The title may be translated as THE ART OF THE PRESENT AND THE FUTURE. A bit worn, nonetheless still a very good copy of this very important manifesto. This copy is inscribed by Murayama himself, with a note by him that identifies this volume as his first contribution to the "Castle Series". published by Ôbundô. Very scarce and important work. $3,450.00

5. BACHHOFER, Ludwig. DIE KUNST DER JAPANISCHEN HOLZSCHNITTMEISTER. Munchen: Kurt Wolff (1922). 119 + [7] pp. + 49 color and b/w plates. Color plates tipped in. 4to., yellow-green cloth stamped in dark blue. Light sunning and soil to cloth. Interior fine with original dust jacket (chipped, tattered) laid in at rear. Text in German. $45.00

6. BARNHART, Richard M. ALONG THE BORDER OF HEAVEN: SUNG AND YUAN PAINTINGS FROM THE C. C. WANG FAMILY COLLECTION. New York: The Metropolitan Museum of Art (1983). First edition exhibit catalogue. 191 pp. 4to., oatmeal-colored cloth stamped in dark grey, in color illustrated paper covered slipcase with moderate rubbing. Book is fine. Color and b/w illustrations. $45.00

7. BARRETT, Douglas. SCULPTURES FROM AMARAVATI IN THE BRITISH MUSEUM. London: The Trustees of the British Museum, 1954. 76 pp. + 48 b/w plates. 4to., dark blue cloth stamped in gilt. Laid in is an excerpted article by Barrett, "Two Unpublished Sculptures from the Amaravati," with the author's inscription on the top right corner of the first page; there are four stapled pages of text (numbered 73-76) and two b/w plates. Overall near fine with only minor shelfwear and owner's pencil signature to front flyleaf. $68.50

8. [BEIT, Sir Otto] JAPANESE COLOUR-PRINTS & OTHER ENGRAVINGS IN THE COLLECTION OF SIR OTTO BEIT, BART., K.C.M.G. IN LONDON AND AT TEWIN WATER, WELWYN. London: Privately Printed at the Chiswick Press, 1924. 61 pp. 4to., quarter white cloth stamped in gilt over grey paper covered boards. Moderate soil to spine, moderate edgewear to boards. Label removed from top of spine, not affecting title. Light finger soil to some page margins. B/w frontispiece and plates. Printed on heavy laid paper, deckle fore-edge. Japanese and European prints. $65.00

FIRST AMERICAN EDITION [1928] QUITE SCARCE IN THE DUST JACKET

9. BELL, Gertrude. PERSIAN PICTURES. New York: Horace Liveright [n.d. ca. 1928]. Printed in Great Britain. 198 pp. 8vo., quarter pale green cloth sunned to grey at spine, fuschia paper covered boards, both lettered in gilt and black. Near fine, clean and crisp, In very good silver dust jacket with purple and white illustrations; a few small closed tears to edges. Bell was sometimes dubbed "Gertrude Bell of Arabia," as a female Lawrence. Previous owner's personal bookplate detached (small glue stain to front pastedown), laid in. A lovely copy, scarcer still in the jacket. $250.00

INCLUDES LARGE FOLDING MAP & THE MOTORIST'S SUPPLEMENT (BOOKLET)

10. BIRD, George E. HANGCHOW HOLIDAYS "WHERE TO GO AND WHAT TO SEE" WITH MAP & THE MOTORIST'S SUPPLEMENT. Shanghai: Millington Limited, 1948. 90 pp. + ads. 12mo., paper covered boards printed in red and brown. First edition. Guide to Hangchow, China. B/w photo reproductions in the text. Folding color map at rear in paper band. Light foxing to title page. In fair to good dust jacket, sepia photo reproduction on front panel, chipped 1 inch or so at corners, spine with slight loss to spine title. Also included is the Motorist's Supplement, about the same size, booklet in pale stapled wrappers printed in red and brown, with rear cover missing and front cover detached, slightly chipped. 40 pp. Motor excursions beyond the West Lake district. $375.00

IMPORTANT CONTEMPORARY ACCOUNT

11. BLACK, John R. YOUNG JAPAN. YOKOHAMA AND YEDO. A NARRATIVE OF THE SETTLEMENT AND THE CITY FROM THE SIGNING OF THE TREATIES IN 1858, TO THE CLOSE OF THE YEAR 1879. WITH A GLANCE AT THE PROGRESS OF JAPAN DURING A PERIOD OF TWENTY-ONE YEARS. TWO VOLUMES. London: Trubner & Co./Yokohama: Kelly and Co., 1881. xiv + 418 pp./xiv + 522 pp. 8vo., yellow cloth stamped in black with sword motif on spine, gate motif on cover. Very good, light soil to boards, coated brown endpapers. Text a bit age-toned but clean, blocks tight. Tables of contents unopened. Complete. $1,850.00

HUNDREDS OF COLOR WOODBLOCK PRINTS

12. [BOTANICAL] Sakai HÔ-ITSU, Suzuki KI_ITSU & Nakano KI-MEI. SHIKI NO HANA. Kyoto, Meiji 41 [1908] 10 volumes [18.8 X 27.9 cm], complete, bound orihon style in stiff paper covers with printed paper title labels. There are 2 spring, 4 summer, 3 autumn and 1 winter volumes, with a grand total of 237 (232 of which are double page images, approx. 24 X 32 cm, within printed borders) color woodblock prints of Japanese flowers. Identified in the introduction to each season, there is no printed text to mar the lovely color plates. After designs by eminent 19th century Rimpa artists, printed by Unsôdô while at the height of their considerable powers. This is a complete set in a clasped chitsu with printed set title label. Good impressions and colors, a very nice example. $7,250.00

UNCOMMON WITH THE VHS TAPE

13. [BUSHELL] CHRISTIE'S. THE RAYMOND AND FRANCES BUSHELL COLLECTION OF NETSUKE, PARTS I - IV + VHS VIDEOCASSETTE. London, New York and Los Angeles: Christie's, 1987-1991. Sale nos. Bushell 3691, Raymond 3917, 6750, 7278. Var pp. 4to., glossy color illustrated paper covered boards. Very good plus, with a few small dings to edges of boards. VHS housed in color illustrated plastic case, excellent condition. Catalogues are well-illustrated in color with photo reproductions. The set: $425.00

14. CAHILL, James. THE ART OF SOUTHERN SUNG CHINA. New York: Asia House Gallery/Asia Society, 1962. 103 pp. including b/w plates, some folding. Square 8vo., white/color illustrated paper covered boards. Edges shelfworn, covers slightly rubbed. Interior fine. Sung Dynasty art. $35.00

15. Chamberlain, Basil Hall. THINGS JAPANESE... Second Edition, revised and enlarged. Kegan Paul, Trench, Trubner & Co.; Kelly & Walsh, 1891. 8vo, green cloth, stamped in gilt; ii + 503pp. +. With a map. Some soil, and wear to the boards and a little dampstaining to the pastedown and flyleaf. Early edition of this classic work. $85.00

16. CHAMBERLAIN, Basil Hall. THINGS JAPANESE. Being Notes on Various Subjects Connected with Japan. London: John Murray, 1905. Fifth edition, revised. 8vo., blue cloth, stamped in gilt; vi + 552pp. + map. Flyleaf quite brown, some foxing including map of Japan. $75.00

17. CHIBBETT, D. G., B. F. HICKMAN & S. MATSUDAIRA. A DESCRIPTIVE CATALOGUE OF THE PRE-1868 JAPANESE BOOKS, MANUSCRIPTS AND PRINTS IN THE LIBRARY OF THE SCHOOL OF ORIENTAL AND AFRICAN STUDIES. London: Oxford University Press, 1975. London Oriental Bibliographies, Volume 4. 185 + [2] pp. 8vo., red cloth stamped in gilt. Fine in a very good green price-clipped dust jacket. B/w plates. $32.00

18. CHRISTIE'S. JAPANESE PRINTS, PAINTINGS, ILLUSTRATED BOOKS AND DRAWINGS FROM THE COLLECTION OF THE LATE THEODOR SCHEIWE, 2 VOLUMES. New York: Christie's, 1989. 201/99 pp. Small 4tos., dark blue cloth stamped in gilt. Fine in very good dust jackets with light rubbing. Price lists laid in. Vol. I: Part 1, Tuesday, March 21, 1989 (Sale 6782); Vol. II: Part II, Monday, October 16, 1989 (Sale 6896). Illustrated in color and b/w, with some folding plates in color. $250.00

20. CHRISTIE'S. THE MERIEM COLLECTION: IMPORTANT CHINESE SNUFF BOTTLES, PART II, WEDNESDAY 19 MARCH 2008. SALE FACETS-1977. New York: Christie's, 2008. 200 pp. 4to., red and white illustrated paper covered boards. One corner slightly bumped, else fine. Gorgeous examples in glass, enamel and porcelain. $45.00

21. CLARK, Walter E., ed./transl. THE ARYABHATIYA OF ARYABHATA: AN ANCIENT INDIAN WORK ON MATHEMATICS AND ASTRONOMY. Chicago: University of Chicago Press (July 1930). First edition. 90 pp. 8vo., brown cloth stamped in gilt and blind. Pencil note to front flyleaf, else fine. In a good salmon colored dust jacket with several inkstains and small chips. $47.50

22. [DESIGN BOOK] Furuya KÔRIN. KEIKA ZUAN JÔ. String bound Japanese-style, fukuro-toji with printed title on the patterned covers. n.p., n.d. [Kyoto, Unsôdô, Meiji 20 (1897)] Volume 1 of 6 vols eventually published under this series title until 1905. Kôrin (1875-1910) was, with Kamisaka Sekka and Kaigai Tennen, the most influential of the first generation designers associated with the great publisher, Unsôdô. This first volume has 40 pages of color printed woodcuts, some full page and some two on a page. A wonderful compendium of some of his best work, more delicately colored than his "ZUKUSHI" series from a decade later. About very good inside and out. $385.00

23. [DESIGN BOOK] FURUYA KÔRIN. MATSU NO ZUKUSHI Ichi. Kyoto, Unsôdô, Meiji 38 [1905]. Oblong album, 18.3 X 24.9 cm, 1 page introduction and final colophon page, along with 50 designs on 25 pages of color woodcut designs by Furuya Kôrin, one of the most important of Unsôdô's early neo-Rimpa designers. Well-printed with bokashi, terashikomi and metallic inks. Ex-library, de-accessioned, with pages loosening and some wear. The "first volume" (no others published). Enclosed in the library's protective clamshell box with call numbers. $875.00

24. [DESIGN BOOK] FURUYA Kôrin. [No Title] 50 designs. Kyoto, Yamada Unsôdô, Meiji 38 [1905]. Oblong modified orihon, 18.3 X 25 cm. 25 pages of color woodblock printed designs (2 per page) by Kôrin, one of the best known and most revered of the Unsôdô designers. Metallic pigments and bright colors add to the vibrancy of these Neo-Rimpa patterns. The covers are bound under protective patterned cloth, but this could be the work known as HANA-KAWA NO SHI: DATE MOYÔ. Includes the original colophon and appears to be complete internally - Unsôdô design book titles were often only placed on the front cover at that time so the protective covers have effectively hidden the title. Good condition internally, very good impressions and colors. $985.00

25.[DESIGN BOOK] Kaigai TENNEN, artist. TENNEN MOYÔ KAGAMI. Kyoto, Unsôdô, 1898-9. 5 volumes. Large folio, 37 x 25.3 cm, color-woodcut printed designs, a total of 187 oban-size color prints by the estimable Tennen, perhaps the most important designer of his time after Kamisaka Sekka. Brilliantly printed by Unsôdô. (See Hillier, volume 2, pp. 978,982 for more on this important work.) Complete sets have become nearly unobtainable complete - ours was a working copy that belonged to a design house in Japan and is a bit worn (with one mismatched cover). Still a lovely work. $6,250.00

26. [DESIGN BOOK] Kamisaka SEKKA, artist. MOMOYOGUSA. Kyoto, Unsôdô, Meiji 42-43 [1909-10]. 30.1 X 22.5 cm. Volumes 2 & 3 (of 3, total) Doubtless the finest design book of its time, this exquisite suite of 40 (out of 60) double page color printed woodblocks is printed and overprinted using opaque and metallic inks to produce a sumptuous surface. This is a very early impression, with woodgrain showing in many prints. The condition is quite good, with a little of the gutter fading and metallic ink transfer common to the MOMOYOGUSA. With none of the block cracking of the later printings. Definitely one of the better examples of this important work. The exterior, which is a bit faded, worn and soiled, missing the cover paper on the back of volume 3, is still quite acceptable with the original printed titles. Complete. $22,500.00

27. [DESIGN BOOK] Kamisaka SEKKA [Yoshitaka]. SHIKISHI. Kyoto: Tanaka jihei, Meiji 34 [1901]. 2 folios, each 31.2 x 21.5 cm. Volume one has 2 color prints and 30 b+w sumi prints, volume two has 30 b+w sumi prints. An interesting design book of subtlety. The covers are quite worn and stained but overall a good printing in good condition. Cord-bound fukuro-toji Japanese style with the title printed on the covers.. $1,450.00

CHRISTOPHER DRESSER'S COPY

28. [DESIGN BOOK] Kan Umpô, artist. BOKUCHIKU HATSUMO. Vols. 1-3 [of 4]. String-bound, Japanese style, fukuro-toji, printed paper title labels and original dark green blind cloud-patterned covers. 25.5 X 17.32 cm. Follows the copy in the British Museum catalogued by Jack Hiller and included in Mitchell at p 224. (Hence published by Eirakudô, in Nagoya, in Ansei 4 [1857]). Interesting in its own right for its interpretation of Chinese techniques of drawing bamboo, this copy is unique, having belonged to Christopher Dresser, the great British designer and Japanophile, whose signature graces the covers of volumes 2 & 3. Overall a unique set in good condition. $1,850.00

29. [DESIGN BOOK] ODAGIRI Harue. NARUMIKATA & NARUMIKATA Zokuhen. Total of 8 volumes, complete. 23.8 cm X 16 cm cm, bound Japanese style, fukuro-toji, with printed paper labels. Originally published in the 1880's, this compendium of b+w designs based on shrine and temple decorations in Japan, is here reprinted from the original blocks by Unsôdô of Kyôto around 1910. Good impressions, very good condition. Hundreds of designs with Japanese identifications. In a broken chitsu clasped case. $650.00

30. [DESIGN] Matsuzaka-ya. HARU NO RYUKO. Shôwa 6 [1931]. [5] ff. text + 25 ff. with 30 color woodblock printed designs tipped-in, housed in a worn and soiled cloth portfolio 30.3 X 22.6 cm. A fabric design house sample, half of the plates are from a series called "Shin-Nihon Moyô" and half from "Keiko Moyô" ("Designs from New Japan" and "Designs of Olden Days"). Wonderful designs, beautifully printed in lovely (clear and bright) colors, with small swatches of dyed fabric, too, on a couple of text leaves. Very good condition overall despite the worn portfolio. $985.00

31. [DESIGN] NOZAWA Hideo. MOJI TO E NO ZUANKA SHIRYÔ. Tokyo, Shôwa 4 [1929]. 8vo., green decorated cloth. Prelims & 100 plates, both color and b+w, designs of advertising motifs and type faces. Some warping staining to the covers, else very good. $285.00

TWO EXTRAORDINARY HISUI PORTFOLIOS

32. [DESIGN] Sugiura HISUI. HISUI SOSAKU ZUAN-SHÛ. Tokyo & Osaka, Bungadô. Shôwa 1 [1925] Shôwa 4 [1929, "third printing"] 36.5 X 27.5 cm. Large portfolio of 50 numbered sheets of 88 designs in various media and styles (woodcut, lithograph and offset). A wonderful epitome of Taisho & Showa style, produced using all the most advanced techniques of the time. Large bold designs, most full page. Hisui, responsible between the wars for Mitsukoshi department stores' trendsetting design and publicity, has been rediscovered within the last decade. There was a wonderful retrospective on his work done at the Tokyo Museum of Modern Art in 2000 and his portfolios are very sought-after. About very good over all, complete. $9,500.00

33. [DESIGN] Sugiura HISUI. HISUI ZUAN-SHÛ. Tokyo, Kanao Tanejirô [Bun'endô]. Taisho 4 [1915], Taishô 8 [1919] The sixth printing. Folder of 50 numbered sheets of 187 designs in various media and styles (woodcut, lithograph and offset). A wonderful epitome of Taisho-era "chic", produced by Bun'endô, perhaps the finest publisher of the time using all the most advanced techniques. Designs for book publications, sheet music covers, posters, etc., etc. Hisui, responsible between the wars for Mitsukoshi department stores' trendsetting design and publicity, has been rediscovered within the last decade. There was a wonderful retrospective on his work done at the Tokyo Museum of Modern Art in 2000 and his portfolios are very sought-after. About very good over all, complete (though the "first series", it is believed no further work was published in this format). In the original (tape-repaired) publisher's slipcase. $5,850.00

TAISHÔ - SHÔWA CHIC

34. [DESIGN] YAMANA Ayao & YAMA Rokuro. JOSEI NO KATTO. Tokyo, Platon-sha, 1928. Small 8vo., 179+pp. Gold cloth covers with a geometric pattern. The covers are very age-darkened. Internally very good - a selection of b+w cuts: illustrations, initials, finals, decorations of various kinds, created by Yamana and Yama, 2 very influential designers of the day. The cuts had originally appeared in JOSEI magazine for women, an arbiter of taste and creator of late Taishô, early Shôwa chic and style. Imbued with the spirit of a doomed age as Japan slid into militarism. Quite unusual and important. $450.00

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