BUN'ENDÔ

88. [SKETCHTOUR ALBUM] Ôtani Sonyû. GOZAN SOSUI. [Kanao Bun'endô, Tokyo, 1921] Oblong 4to in size, 22.3 x 30.7 cm, green brocade over board covers, printed paper title label. Prefatory printed calligraphy by Tomioka Tessai and 41 prints designed by Sonyû, a recognized artist and priest at Nishi Honganji Temple in Kyoto. The table of contents only calls for 40 prints, our copy has two versions of the same scene with the same printed title, in very different styles at Pages 16 and 17.

A beautiful set of views of China - this is the color woodcut album which was originally accompanied by a facsimile of the travel diary that his brother, the Abbott of Nishi Honganji, kept on their joint journey through China depicted herein. Very scarce, wonderfully well printed. The covers are worn on the outside, but the images are clean and lovely. The album is complete in itself but without the diary. $2,850.00

89. [SKETCHTOUR BOOK] Mizushima Nihô, artist and author. TÔKAIDÔ GO-JÛSAN TSUGI SETONAIKAI KIKÔ. Tokyo: Kanao Bun'endô, Taishô 9 [1920]. First Printing. 8vo. Printed paper over boards, cloth spine, gilt. With many color and b&w illustrations done in several media [for details see Scott Johnson's article in ANDON]. Near perfect condition in the scarce original printed slipcase. Complete as issued. SOLD

90. [SÔSAKU HANGA] ONCHI Koshirô, artist & MAEDA Sekibô, poet. Kashû SHINSHÔ FUJI [Collection of Poetry: NEW PRAISE, FUJI] Tokyo: Fugaku Honsha, Shôwa 21 [1946]. 28.7 x 20 cm., 2 full page color woodcuts by Onchi, 1 tipped-in page of calligraphy. Blue and white flexible covers, in a dustwrapper depicting Fuji which is also a print by Onchi. Very good. The prints by Onchi are very lovely. [See Sotheby's Schlosser Sale Item #302 for another copy; Hillier Vol. 2, p 1022] SOLD

91. Stewart, Basil. SUBJECTS PORTRAYED IN JAPANESE COLOUR PRINTS.... London: Kegan Paul, Trench, Trubner & Co., Ltd., 1922. Folio, xvi, 382pp. Original tan cloth spine and grey paper covered boards, leather label. With reproductions of over 270 prints (22 in colour). A near fine copy, unusual thus. $285.00

MISSIONARY TRACT WITH B/W PHOTO REPRODUCTION ILLUSTRATIONS

92. STEWART, J. L. WITH BETH AND BILLY IN WESTERN CHINA. Toronto: The Missionary Society of the Methodist Church/The Young People's Forward Movement (1920). 52 pp. + [2] pp. publisher's advertisements. Small 4to, yellow cloth stamped in black. Moderate soil to cloth, light shelfwear. Paste action to endpapers. Bookplate: with compliments of the Missionary Society of the Methodist Church, Canada. Occasional light finger soil in text. B/w photo reproductions. Children's journey through Western China in the late teens. Anti-footbinding, anti-opium, pro-Western education. Written in verse. $225.00

93. SUGIYAMA, Naojiro. MA MISSION EN FRANCE 1934: CONFERENCES ET ALLOCUTIONS. Tokyo: La Maison Franco-Japonaise, 1936. vi + [2] + 251 pp. + [2] + errata slip + colophon. 8vo., tan wrappers printed in red and black. Wrappers dampstained, corners creased. Interior very good with some age toning in text. $125.00

TAKEI COLLECTION

94. TAKEI Takeo, author/artist. Collection of Japanese Livre d'Artiste [138 volumes & 13 book boxes]. In the course of his long career as an artist and book designer, Takei returned time and again to the publication of these small format artist's books, often with a child-oriented theme, his so-called "kampon". The first appeared in 1935, the last the year after he died in 1983 - a total of 139 of them, all in edition sizes ranging from 150 to 600 copies (the majority were limited to 300 cc), usually signed and numbered, in various non-uniform small sizes. As part of playful approach to book production, Takei also designed 21 "honbako" book boxes, to hold his small treasures. Early on Takei decided that the kampon would be his artistic playground and he explored every conceivable technique therein of image reproduction, inventing quite a number of new ones along the way. The power of Takei's artistic imagination and ongoing creativity is amazing, one may literally sit with these volumes for hours and listen to how the books speak to each other and to the browser, as well. Oliver Statler has a nice summary of Takei's work in his MODERN JAPANESE PRINTS: An ART REBORN. (pp 93-96)

We are offering all but volume one of the series, 138 of 139 volumes. In addition, we are including 19 of the original 21 limited edition book boxes as well. Though some volumes have a bit of internal foxing here and there and there is some cover wear, overall, the volumes are lovely. The book boxes are clean and tight. $45,000.00

95. TUER, Andrew. THE BOOK OF DELIGHTFUL AND STRANGE DESIGNS Being One Hundred Facsimile Illustrations of the Art of the Japanese Stencil Cutter to which the Gentle Reader is Introduced by One Andrew W. Tuer, F.S.A., who Knows Nothing About it... London: Leadenhill Press, n.d. c.1890. First Limited Edition, publisher's slip before title reading: "The issue of this (the first) edition containing a real Japanese Stencil-plate as frontispiece is limited in number," 104 black and white plates with original stencil present, oblong small 4to, original buckram backed boards with paper labels on spine and front board, titles and introductions additionally in French and German. An important series of plates showing designs that were highly influential on Western artists. Co-published by Liberty's of London (who, it can be argued, never escaped the Japanese / fin-de-siecle imagery and flowing line). A good but very fragile copy - the book block is loosening from the case and some plates are sprung, as is usual for this work. SOLD

96. VAUTIER, P., author & KUMMEL, Otto, editor. JAPANISCHE STICHBLATTER UND SCHWERTZIERATEN Sammlung Georg Oeder Dusseldorf. Oesterheld & Co., Berlin, n.d. [1917 in gilt at the base of the spine]. Small folio, original front cover bound into half red cloth and leather spine, gilt. Profusely illustrated in b&w with images of tsuba, kozuka and other metal-wrought works of art from this extensive collection. The German language text is informative throughout. A vital reference in the field which is very hard to find. Very good overall, the spine is chipped at the bottom. Some edgewear. $1,250.00

97. VOLKER, T. THE ANIMAL IN FAR EASTERN ART AND ESPECIALLY IN THE ART OF THE JAPANESE NETSUKE WITH REFERENCES TO CHINESE ORIGINS, TRADITIONS, LEGENDS, AND ART. Leiden: E. J. Brill, 1950. First edition. [2] + 190 pp. + errata page laid in at end of volume. 8vo., black cloth stamped in gilt. Minor rubbing to cloth, gilt lettering bright. Interior fine. B/w plates. $95.00

ORIGINAL EDITION OF THE KO-JI-HÔ-TEN

98. WEBER, V.-F. "KO-JI HÔ-TEN" Dictionnaire a l'usage des amateurs et collectionneurs d'objets d'art Japonais et Chinois. Paris: Chez l'auteur, 1923. Limited edition: This copy is number 217, from an edition of 585, signed by Weber. Profusely illustrated - with over 2100 text illustrations and 75 plates, of which five are in color. Two folio volumes: 40 x 30 cm. (15 3/4 by 12 in.). V. 1: 512 pp. V. 2: 512 pp. + 138 pp. appendices, + 4 pp. 'Liste des corrections secondaires' laid-in. Bound in their original red-and-black-printed paper wrappers. Wrappers show occasional light soiling but are generally clean. Volume 2 has a closed tear at the crown. Both volumes are quite clean and crisp within, though occasionally over opened (- which isn't surprising given the size and weight of these volumes in relation to their paper bindings). Housed in matching blue and white patterned-cloth chitsu cases, lined with marbled paper, with cloth labels. The bright chitsu cases have darkened slightly along their top-edges and backs. An attractive copy of the rare signed limited edition of Weber's classic work on Japanese and Chinese culture, religion and art. It provides information about famous sites in both countries, as well as information about historical and legendary personages; describes manners and customs, festivals and religious practices; and provides biographies, signatures and other distinguishing marks of the painters, sculptors, engravers, ceramists, and other artists and craftsmen. It also offers summaries of the Japanese and Chinese tales and legends that have inspired the artists of the two countries in their works and in the ornamentation of furniture and other objects. $2,650.00

99. Weber, V.-F. KO-JI HÔ-TEN; Dictionnaire a l'usage des amateurs et collectionneurs d'objets d'art Japonais et Chinois. NY: Hacker Art Books, 1975 (Reprint of the first edition of 1923). 2 vols., large 4to, Orange cloth. Many b+w illustrations. Excellent reference to the arts of East Asia. $350.00

100. WERTHEIMBER, Louis. A MURAMASA BLADE. A Story of Feudalism in Old Japan. Boston: Ticknor and Company, 1887. Large 8vo, padded red silk over boards, stamped in gilt, t.e.g; xvi + 188pp. 5 copper engravings, many other relief engravings. An unusual, deluxe binding for this book, which is usually found in tan and green cloth. The binding has proved as fragile as it was originally lovely, but this copy, with a bit of wear to the gilt titling, but otherwise intact, is by far the best example of this fugitive presentation of the book we have ever seen. $650.00

101. WERTHEIMBER, Louis. A MURAMASA BLADE. A Story of Feudalism in Old Japan. Boston: Ticknor and Company, 1887. Large 8vo, Tan decorated cloth stamped in black and gold. t.e.g; xvi + 188pp. 5 copper engravings, many other relief engravings. There is a bit of foxing at the preliminary pages and a touch of soil to the cloth, but overall a pleasing copy. All of the copper etchings are dampstained at the top right hand corner with surrounding pages unstained, which leads one to believe they were stained before they were bound in by Ticknor. $450.00

LARGE AND BEAUTIFUL YOSHIDA WOODBLOCK PRINT

102. [WOODBLOCK PRINT] YOSHIDA Hiroshi. "YAMANAKA LAKE". Image size: oblong 60.5 X 45.7 cm. Color woodblock print by Hiroshi Yoshida, Shôwa 4 [1929]. Pencil-signed "Hiroshi Yoshida" in the lower right hand margin and hand-titled by him in the lower left-hand margin. A lovely large print depicting Mount Fuji reflected in the waters of the lake (see the illustration). The printing and colors are very good. $6,500.00

103. YAMADA, Nakaba. GHENKO: THE MONGOL INVASION OF JAPAN. London: John Murray, 1916. First edition. xx + [2] + errata slip + 277 pp. + maps and b/w plates throughout. 8vo., green cloth stamped in gilt. Top of spine chipped 1/4 inch, partially detached with closed tear, bottom of spine nicked. Pale spotting and wear to boards and spine. Ex-library with usual markings and spine label. Spine shaken, text over-opened at some pages. Small Japanese label to front pastedown. Japanese ink notes to half title, title page and pp. 277 and verso. Introduction by Lord Armstrong. Fair, as is. SOLD

104. YAMANAKA & COMPANY. COLLECTION OF CHINESE AND OTHER FAR EASTERN ART ASSEMBLED BY YAMANAKA & COMPANY, INC. NOW IN PROCESS OF LIQUIDATION UNDER THE SUPERVISION OF THE ALIEN PROPERTY CUSTODIAN OF THE UNITED STATES OF AMERICA. New York: [n.p., only 680 Fifth Avenue], 1943. 4to., yellow wrappers printed in black, cutout window in front cover (top corner and sides missing on front cover) revealing color photo reproduction illustration on page below. Spine chipped at heel and crown. Occasional light soil or foxing in margins. Color and b/w photo reproduction plates in the text. Jade, ceramics, textiles, more. As is. SOLD