NARUMO, Kinjiro

Domestic Japan. ; Illustrated descriptions of articles used in Japanese daily life. First volume - Kitchen Utensils. [All published]

Japan: Yokohama Seishi Bunsha, 1895.

First Edition.

Rare English-language guide to Japanese domestic wares, with 76 fully-illustrated items. Its publication came at a time when Japan was experiencing a dramatic shift from the conservative, isolationist policies of the sh gun-dominated Edo period to the rapid and widespread drive to modernise and engage with the rest of the world that characterizes the Meiji Restoration.

This booklet focuses on a traditional domestic interior and features a beautiful double-page plate showing the layout and arrangement of a Japanese period home, showing respective zones for food preparation, cooking and the entertainment of guests. Items specifically illustrated and described include lacquer wares, a charcoal-burning stove, lanterns, wooden buckets and items used in the tea ceremony. A beautiful copy of a scarce work published for the English market.

Bibliography: Not in Cordier or Nipponalia.; Rogala Jozef 'A Collector's Guide to Books on Japan in English', 783.

Item #1614

Booklet of eight leaves folded in the Japanese manner within original colour illustrated wrappers with silk ties, 165 x 236 mm., featuring a double page plate of a domestic scene, with additional illustrations of 76 wares.

Price (AUD): $3,250.00  other currencies