Illustrations of Japanese Life
Reproduced by K. by K. Ogawa [Focus on Women, Children, Music & Religion] |
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Ogawa, K. Takashima, S (descriptions): Illustrations of Japanese Life, Tokyo, K. Ogawa, descriptions by S. Takashima, numerous editions (1~12 - 1896~1918), 8vo, 12 hand-colored collotypes on crepe paper, bound Japanese style and tied with purple twisted silk threads, 9 folded leaves with stiffener paper in between (18 pages in total). This is one in a series of photographic album type books under this same title published by K. Ogawa. The front and back covers account for 2 folded leaves. The first internal page has the Title Page (front) and Preface (back). The other 6 have a photograph - front and back. The focus of this book is customs and ceremonies of Japan. The photographs include, 1) The "Suw Ari-Odori", 2) Backyard of a Tea House, 3) Venturing Out in the Rain, 4) "Sayonara" (Goodbye), 5) Letter Writing, 6) Morning Toilet, 7) Buddhist Priests Conspicuous, 8) Two Ladies in Full Dress, 9) The Cherry, 10) A Blind Street Musician, 11) The "Dai-Kagura" & 12) Japanese Babies. The book is in a vertical format and measures 10 x 7 1/2 in - 25.4 x 19 cm. While the picture areas vary slightly, the norm is 7 x 5 1/2 in - 17.8 x 13.4 cm. 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. Many editions of these books were published and can be identified by the Japanese colophons inside the back cover. Examples of colophons are given below. For more information on this click here. For information on Kazumasa Ogawa, click here.
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Dating this Book
 The 6 rows of Japanese writing at the right give dates and editions. Starting at the right and reading left they indicate:
Meiji 29 (1896) - 1st edition printed 
The 9 rows of Japanese writing at the right give dates and editions. Starting at the right and reading left they indicate:
Meiji 29 (1896) - 1st edition printed There is no accounting for the 7th ~ 10th editions. I presume this is the 12th edition (1918) because it is the last edition listed. |
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Close-up, Hand-colored Collotype on Crepe Paper
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