[Rarebooks] OFFER: JAPANESE MAGIC MANUAL, A WHOLLY ETCHED BOOK.

[Laderman]

UNREAD NAMES: MAGIC MANUAL. Meiji 20 (1887)a very unusual book in 
that it is a WHOLLY ETCHED BOOK, with all the text and plates, 
including the title page etched. This medium is very rare in Japan, 
since it was stylish only for a few years in the 1880s, preceded by 
Shiba Kokan's etched books of the eighteenth century. I have never 
seen another Japanese magic book in this medium. And although 
Japanese magic books are rare, this format is rarer still. With 
original covers with a striking gourd shape in red showing the author 
and title, surrounded by green and white leaves. The covers are solid 
and attached Western style to the book which has the usual double 
page of all traditional Japanese books. Because of the rare medium, 
the publisher was able to make the characters and illustrations much 
smaller than usual, so the book has as much in it as if it were the 
size of an ordinary woodcut book, like Hokusai's manga. The book 
measures 3 1/2 x 5 inches (closed), with 34 pages of prints and 
instructions including the rare use of a magic lantern for an optical 
trick. Four to six tricks appear on each page, with illustrations of 
each. The performers are often dressed in a modified western 
costume.  Although the covers are intact, the spine has been 
repaired. Since it was a plain black color, there has been no loss. 
The colophon page has been largely torn out, but, leaving the date of 
publication, clearly visible. There are a few losses on the inner 
edge of the title page, where the title remains clear. JPEGS CAN BE 
MADE AVAILABLE.$1450.00


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

http://www.antiqbook.com/zitabooks/

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