The Silly Jelly-Fish [Japanese Fairy Tale Series No. 13]

Item #90928

The Silly Jelly-Fish [Japanese Fairy Tale Series No. 13].

[Kawabata Gyokusho 川端玉章, illustrator].

B.H. Chamberlain, translator.

Hasegawa, publisher.

Tokyo.

Meiji 20 [1887].


15 x 9.9cm small crepe paper book opens Western style with decorated front and rear wrappers. Perfect-bound with holes for sewing. [9] cho with a colophon and a list of Titles 1 - 14 in the Fairy Tale Series on inside rear wrapper. Colophon gives the date Meiji 20 [1887]. This volume was published by the Hasegawa family when they were known as Kōbunsha, working from the address in Minami Saegichō 南佐柄木町 Tokyo, their first address.


Color, original woodblock print illustrations with a charming folklore tale of traditional Japan told in English text. The Silly Jelly-Fish (#13 in the Fairy Tale Series) was illustrated by Kawabata Gyokusho 川端玉章 (1842-1913), the only title that the established painter would agree to do for Hasegawa. The story reveals the bizarre reason that the jellyfish has no bones - thanks to a sickly Dragon Queen, a solicitous yet infuriated Dragon King and a very clever monkey.


A bit of cover and content wear and some edgewear to binding.

Price: $150.00