Kitazawa Tetsuo 北原鉄雄, editor

Saishin Kagaku Zukan Zen 18 Maki Soroi 最新科学図鑑 全18巻揃 [The Latest Science Encyclopedia - Complete Set of 18 volumes]

Item #91067

Saishin Kagaku Zukan Zen 18 Maki Soroi 最新科学図鑑 全18巻揃 [The Latest Science Encyclopedia - Complete Set of 18 volumes]
Kitazawa Tetsuo 北原鉄雄, editor
ARS (Arusu-sha アルス社), publisher
Tokyo
Showa 6-8 昭和6-8年 [1931-33]

18 volumes 24.5 x 19cm on the natural sciences and other science-related topics published by Arusu-sha アルス社 (ARS) from Showa 6-8 昭和6-8年 [1931-33]. Complete set. Nickel gilt design on red background with bright ultramarine blue decoration around a discrete photogravure illustration on the cover of each volume. Title page has a printed line design with yellow with a color frontispiece opposite. Colorful abstract endpapers feature strong blocks of orange, teal, brown and cream. Each volume has black and white photos and drawing reproductions and Japanese text throughout in brown tone. Some vols also have color illustrations and more than one has a fold-out brown tone or color section. Tipped-in colophon on final page. 178-264pp in each volume. Some volumes have laid-in publisher advertising newsletters (1 in green tone 27 x 20cm folded; 1 in brown tone 21.3 x 13.5cm folded). Vol 2 has a small laid-in sheet with 2 photo reproductions. Edited by Kitazawa Tetsuo 北原鉄雄 (1887-1957), publisher, founder and head of Ars, which specialized in photography, science and literature.

Artist and designer Onchi Koshiro 恩地孝四郎 took great care with the design of the books and cases which is evident in all aspects of the binding. The binding is listed with a photo on p. 131 of his book binding raisonné, Onchi Koshiro Seihon no Gyo 恩地孝四郎 装本の業. From his early years, working with Takehisa Yumeiji 竹久夢二, among others, he began a long career as a book designer and book illustrator. From the very beginning of his life in the arts he was the center and focus of the Creative Print Movement (Sōsaku Hanga 創作版画), surrounding himself with fellow artists who took inspiration from his dedication to the cause of self-expression. He designed over a thousand books, collaborating in his later years with such important figures as Kitasono Katue 北園克衛, in short, he was the major figure involved with works on paper in his time.

These volumes were written and/or edited by the following noted scientists and writers: Vol 1 by scientist and historian Oka Kunio 岡邦雄 (1890-1971), Vol 5 by Ishikawa Chiyomatsu 石川千代松 (1860-1935) a decorated Japanese biologist and zoologist who was known for introducing Darwin’s Theory of Evolution to Japan, Vol 14 by co-writers biologist and geneticist Naohide Yatsu 谷津直秀 (1877-1947) and Satō Kaneharu (?) 佐藤金治, Vol 15 by botanist Kawamura Seiichi 川村清一 (1881-1946), Vol 16 by entomologist Yokoyama Kirio 横山桐郎 (1894-1932) and Vol 17 also by co-writers Naohide and Satō.

Vol I p.89 has a laid-in reproduced portrait 9 x 6.5cm of Swedish botanist Carl von Linné (Rinne リンネ 1707-1778), who is best known for creating the binomial system, which identifies plants with two names in Latin, and the name he gave humans, Homo sapiens. Vol XIV p. 177 is a sheet titled Meriyasu メリヤス, a knitwear for underwear and swimwear, with 8 laid-down fabric samples of rayon 3.5 x 5.7cm in bright colors.

The titles of each volume:
Vol 1: Kagaku bunmei-shi 科学文明史 [The History of Science & Civilization]
Vol 2: Tenkū no kagaku 天空の科学 [The Science of Air]
Vol 3: Chikyū no kagaku 地球の科学 [The Science of the Earth]
Vol 4: Ningen no kagaku 人間の科学 [The Science of Humans]
Vol 5: Shinka iden no kagaku 進化遺伝の科学 [The Science of Evolutionary Genetics]
Vol 6: Kikai jidai-jō 機械時代上 [The Machine Age Pt 1]
Vol 7: Kikai jidai-ka 機械時代下 [The Machine Age Pt 2]
Vol 8: Denki jidai-jō 電気時代上 [The Electric Age Pt 1]
Vol 9: Denki jidai-ka 電気時代下 [The Electric Age Pt 2]
Vol 10: Kensetsu no kagaku-jō 建設の科学上 [The Science of Construction Pt 1]
Vol 11: Seizō kōgyō no sekai-jō 製造工業の世界上 [The World of the Manufacturing Industry Pt 1]
Vol 12: Seizō kōgyō no sekai-ka 製造工業の世界下 [The World of the Manufacturing Industry Pt 2]
Vol 13: Nōsan no kagaku 農産の科学 [Agricultural Science]
Vol 14: Dōbutsu zufu-jō 動物図譜上 [An Illustrated Reference to Animals Pt 1]
Vol 15: Shokubutsu zufu 植物図譜 [An Illustrated Reference to Botanicals]
Vol 16: Konchū zufu 昆虫図譜 [An Illustrated Reference to Insects]
Vol 17: Dōbutsu zufu-ka 動物図譜下 [An Illustrated Reference to Animals Pt 2]
Vol 18: Kensetsu no kagaku-ka 建設の科学下 [The Science of Construction Pt 2]

Wear to and toning of cases. Wear and rubbing to covers, some toning inside. In Vol VIII the pages of reproduced photos between pp.52-3 are detached. Otherwise, the interior pages are in very good condition. Unusual as a complete set.

Price: $2,400.00