Book 1896070309b
Illustrations of Japanese Life

First Edition, 1896
Reproduced by K. by K. Ogawa
Descriptions by S. Takashima
Hand-colored Collotypes (12) on Crepe Paper
[Focus on Women]

Condition. The book is in Good+ condition. The covers have edge damage and there is some separation between the front and back of the covers. The spine edge is not covered and there is no evidence that it ever was. There is light foxing at the front and back but not on the 6 folded pages with hand colored collotype images. Internally, the plates are in Very Good+ (near Fine) condition. No tears or cuts on the outside edges of the folded pages.

Ogawa, K.
Takashima, S (descriptions):
Illustrations of Japanese Life, Tokyo, K. Ogawa, descriptions by S. Takashima, Meiji 29 (1896), 1st Edition, 8vo (7 1/2 x 10 1/4 in - 19.3 x 25.9 cm), crepe paper, 12 hand colored collotypes, tied with purple twisted silk cords, 7 folded leaves with stiffener paper in between, the front and back cover are not folded pages, 14 pages in total (covers not counted). This is one in a series of collotype books with this same title published by K. Ogawa.

In the four part series of books with this title, this is the only book where the illustrations are in a vertical format (height exceeds width). This format is best for presenting posed full body/standing portraits of individual people and that is the nature of almost all the images in the book. The other three books are in the horizontal format and contain images which are more in the nature of groups of people, views and scenes.

The first folded page has the Title Page (front) and Preface (back). The six other folded pages have a photographic image, reproduced in collotype, front and back. The focus of this book is customs and ceremonies of Japan with the focus on activities of women. The photographs include, 1) The "Geisha" (Singing Girl). [In Later Books Captioned "The 'Suwari-Odori.' (A Dancing)], 2) Backyard of a Tea House, 3)"Sayonara!" (Good-Bye), 4) Venturing Out in the Rain, 5) Letter Writing, 6) Morning Toilet, 7) The Cherry, 8) The "Amma" (Shampooer)*, 9) The "Shiohi" (Fishing on the Dry Bed)*, 10) Buddhist Priests Conspicuous, 11) The "Kamishimo" (The Ancient Ceremonial Dress)* and 12) Japanese Maiden*. While the picture areas vary slightly, the norm is 7 x 5 1/2 in - 17.8 x 13.4 cm. The collotypes are all printed against a light yellow background. This is not the case with later editions and even some versions of the first editions. On later editions the front and back covers were also folded pages which is not the case with this first edition. The plates designated with an "*" contain different images from those found in later editions of this book.

In the preface, K. Ogawa states:

I have to acknowledge my indebtedness to Messrs. Tamamura and S. Kajima, as well as Prof. Burton, for several of the plates in this volume.

For information on Kazumasa Ogawa, click here.

Illustrations of Japanese Life, 1896, 1st Edition, K. Ogawa
Title Page	Preface

The "Geisha" (Singing Girl).	Backyard of a Tea House

"Sayonara!" (Good-Bye)	Venturing Out in the Rain

Letter Writing	Morning Toilet

The Cherry	The "Amma" (Shampooer)*

The "Shiohi" (Fishing on the Dry Bed)*	Buddhist Priests Conspicuous

The "Kamishimo" (The Ancient Ceremonial Dress)*	Japanese Maiden*