CHO^JU RYAKUGASHIKI
18. Item #87525
[EHON] KEISAI Masayoshi, artist. CHOJU RYAKUGASHIKI. Edo, Kyoto, Nagoya & Osaka. Originally published in Edo by Suharaya Ichibei in 1797, this more darkly colored undated version may well be from the mid-19th century. The undated rear inside cover pseudo-colophon lists 10 bookshops as sales agents, 4 in Edo, 3 each in Kyoto and Osaka. Light blue kara-zuri decorated covers, string-bound Japanese style, fukuro-toji, with a printed paper title label. 24.9 x 17.6 cm. Overall this later printing is helped by the fact that the designs are bold and simple - the printings remain crisp. Elephants, frogs and falcons; bugs, fish and mythological beasties - they are depicted with economy and humor. Perhaps the most unusual and creative of all Masayoshi's RYAKUGASHIKI (simple drawing books). The covers are a bit soiled. The contents are in very good condition, fair to good impression. Great fun! For a complete copy online, see the NYPL copy at http://digitalgallery.nypl.org/nypldigital/dgkeysearchresult.cfm?paren t_id=743601&word=.
Price: $850.00