75. [EHON - BIRDS & FLOWERS] [Nakayama SÛGAKUDÔ]. Shasei SHIJÛ‑HACHI TAKA GAJÔ. Tokyo, et al., Hakubunsha, 1888. 35.8 x 23.4 cm. Orihon folding album, in cloth-covered boards with printed paper title label, of 48 color woodcut images of birds and flowers after designs done by Sûgakudô, an important student of Hiroshige, for a series of prints printed circa 1860. This set from recut blocks was printed under the supervision of Nagao Keihitsu, for the publishing house Hakubunsha. Clearly, the same team of skilled engravers and printers who had worked on Taki Katei's album of birds, done the same year for Hakubunsha, worked on this album as well. The images are titled in both English and Japanese. The printing is exquisite, the colors lovely, in excellent impression and condition. Former owner's stamp on the front cover, brief title on the rear cover. Complete, as issued. Very scarce and lovely work. $4,750.00
76. [EHON - BOTANICAL] Iwasaki Tsunemasa. HONSÔ ZUFU. 25.6 X 17.5 cm. [n.p, n.d. Taishô era, Japan] String-bound Japanese-style fukuro toji, 3 volumes from the printed series of 93 volumes (plus a 2 volume index).
A small part of Iwasaki's classic work of botanical classification, which was begun in woodcut, then continued in manuscript form during the mid-19th Century. It was finally edited by Shirai and published in final form, printed by color woodblock, in 1920-22. [See Bartlett & Shiohara for much more on this important work] The volumes here included are: Volumes 27, 28 & 29. The impressions and condition are very good. Very lovely group.
$1,250.00
77. [EHON - BOTANICAL] Kôno BAIREI, artist. BAIREI KIKU HYAKUSHU. Tokyo: Ôkura Magobei, Meiji 24, 25 & 29; [1891, 92 & 96]. 3 vols., orihon in stiff blue patterned paper covers, printed paper labels. 24.7 X 16.5 cm. There are 22 double page color prints in each volume, illustrating various identified species of chrysanthemum. A lovely work, with imaginative compositions of flowers and landscape, flowers and birds, etc. Quite nicely printed in restrained colors. One of Bairei's scarcer works, and certainly one of his best. See Hillier, vol. 2 p.969; Mitchell 217; Ryerson 427. Unusual complete as it was published over the course of several years. Our copy is in very good condition internally with just a bit of browning to the front cover of volume 1 & 2. 3 vols., complete. $1,500.00
78. [EHON - BOTANICAL] KOSE Shôseki. artist. SHICHI‑JÛ‑NIKÔ MEIKA GAJO. Kyoto, Yamamoto Bunkadô, n.d. [c.1920]. 4 orihon folding albums in brocade covered boards, printed in color woodcut, with a text volume, 5 vols. in all. 25 x 17.5 cm. Shôseki [1843-1919], was an important traditional artist and influential teacher of many others, including Shimomura Kanzan and his own grandson, Tomikichiro Tokuriki. Known for his flower paintings, he created a series of designs in the late 1880's, which were printed as a set of 72 (in 4 volumes) in the early 1890's. The set almost immediately became scarce and desirable. After Kose died, Tokuriki arranged for a deluxe production of some 50 sets (in 5 volumes, including a text volume) to be printed using the original blocks and seals. This is one of those sets, the condition is excellent, the printing exquisitely detailed and the colors superb. One of the finest Japanese botanicals we have ever seen. We are selling it along with a full size color reproduction and explanatory text by Tokuriki, bound western-style as an oblong folio in 1980, published by Kyoto Shoin. Very unusual. $6,850.00
79. [EHON - 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 which is almost never found complete nowadays. A very nice example. $6,500.00
80. [EHON - BOTANICAL] Tanigami KÔNAN, artist. SHÔKEI KAKICHO San. Kyoto, Unsôdô, Shôwa 4 [1929]. There is a complex series of puns involved with the titling of this work. Suffice it to say that the title describes a collection of designs of flowers and grasses of an unusually large size. They are, indeed, unusually large for the genre. Each of the 10 double page prints is approximately 31 x 44.5 cm in image size within the printed borders. This volume is volume 3 of 3. Very delicate and lovely printing in very nice condition. Within edgeworn cloth over board covers, printed silk title label. $1,650.00
