[Rarebooks] OFFER: JAPANESE PICTURE ALBUM NEW TO SCHOLARSHIP.

[Laderman]

NOTE : This book has been on my hands for some years. Little by little I 
worked out what it was. It calls itself the supplementary series, but that 
is not enough. Japanese as well as Western publishers have been known to 
shade the truth. And Mitchell who is a great figure in the bibliography of 
this material had come to another conclusion. But he had never seen this 
particular copy. And, finally, on internal evidence this seems to be what 
it says it is.

TOKEI. KAMEI: TOKEI GAFU FUSATSU. PICTURE ALBUM BY TOKEI, SUPPLEMENTARY 
SERIES.  Bunka 6 [1810]. Osaka, Bun-eido. I Volume with black and white 
illustrations, several with an extra gray block. 25.1 x 17.8 cm.~ In date 
it agrees with that given by Brown for the supplementary series. Our copy 
which, other than the two first paintings, which show a groom and horses, 
clearly redrawn by Tokei from a Ming Chinese source, and a final double 
page illustration, is all landscape, ad brown says it must be. The last 
illustration shows three scholars dressed in Chinese fashion, while one has 
his lower leg hugged by one of two smiling happy little boy children, 
[clearly an en voyage, Japanese style]. The adepts read the scroll [which 
this book may be thought to have illustrated] in great glee and merriment, 
as an auspicious event. That is, having experienced the series of 
wonderful, landscapes full of the spirit of life of the landscape as 
mediated through Tokei, we, the observers have good fortune in front of us. 
These paintings are heavily influenced by the most radical of the 18th 
century Japanese Bunjinga artists, Ike no Taiga, and Yosa Buson. Over leaf 
comes the colophon and then a four page afterward [probably meant for the 
whole series] similarly signed and dated Kamei Tokei, Bunka 6. ~ SEE 
MITCHELL Pp. 530-531 who does not know of this particular issue, but only 
finds a third volume added to the RYERSON copy, BROWN P. 89 [same copy]; 
HOLLOWAY P. 51 [same example]. The copy to which Mitchell refers, since it 
was in the Ryerson collection, the bulk of which was purchased from Mrs. 
Brown, en bloc, and was in all probability already considered by her and 
rejected as the supplementary series.  This copy was published by V. 
DASHKEVITCH -PURTO as item 80, Illus Pp. 7/8 "Landscape with a bridge and a 
figure "The shadow in summer mountains." Japanese Woodblock printed Books , 
Godwin-Ternbach Museum catalog and plate. ~ The wrappers are sky blue with 
a reticulated pattern produced by frottage. Although I have resewn the 
book, its wraps, minimally rubbed, have done good service to the book which 
remains in Fine state with many stunning images. $6500.00

ZITA BOOKS / NEW YORK, N.Y. / G. LADERMAN
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telephone: 212-866-4715  email:zita at speakeasy.net

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