Kwaidan, Stories and Studies of Strange Things by Lafcadio Hearn, The Shimbi Shoin, 1932

Kwaidan, Stories and Studies
of Strange Things
Lafcaido Hearn, 1932

Hearn, Lafcaido
Lewis, Oscar (introduction):
Kwaidan, Stories and Studies of Strange Things by Lafcadio Hearn with an introduction by Oscar Lewis, Tokyo, "Printed for Members of the Limited Editions Club by the Shimbi Shoin, Ltd.," 1932, 8vo (6 x 8 1/4 in - 21 x 15.2 cm), bound Japanese style with string ties which pass over the uncovered spine at 4 places and the top and bottom adjacent to the spine, silk covered folding case with paste on label and ivory/bone pegs, brocade cloth covers with a repeating pattern composed of eight golden clouds, top edge gilt, side and bottom edges untrimmed, handmade paper with the "Kwaidan" watermark, tissue guard protected title page, limitation statement at the rear (limited to 1500 copies), no copyright notice, introduction (ii-xvi), preface (2 pages), table of contents (2 pages), 2 color woodblock frontispieces (1 is double page), 20 collotype plates, illustrations by Yasumasa Fujita, 238 pp. The limitation statement states that the illustrations are by Yasumasa Fujita and contains a facsimile of his signature and seal. Each of the 20 chapters is preceded by a collotype plate reproducing Fujita's art. Most of the collotypes are black and white but some are printed in a different color and one plates is a chromo-collotype (multi-color). A series of short stories (kwaiden - "weird tales" and insect stories) drawn from Japanese books by Hearn. Many versions of this book, some translated into other languages, were published between 1904 and the publication of this special limited edition. The number of the volume is found on the limitation statement at the rear and on the paste on label on the folding case.

Title Page:

Color Woodblock Frontispieces:

Chapters

Kwaidan:
   The Story of Mimi-Nashi-Hoichi
   Oshidori
   The Story of O-Tei
   Ubazakura
   Diplomacy
   Of a Mirror and a Bell
   Jikininki
   Mujina
   Rokuro-Kubi
   A Dead Secret
   Yuki-Onna
   The Story of Aoyagi
   Jiu-Roku-Zakura
   The Dream of Akinosuke
   Riki-Baka
   Hi-Mawari
   Horai
   

Insect Studies:
   Butterflies
   Mosquitoes
   Ants

Plates:


Kwaidan:

   The Story of Mimi-Nashi-Hoichi
    


   Oshidori
    


   The Story of O-Tei
   


   Ubazakura
   


   Diplomacy
   


   Of a Mirror and a Bell
   


   Jikininki
   


   Mujina
   


   Rokuro-Kubi
   


   A Dead Secret
   


   Yuki-Onna
   


   The Story of Aoyagi
   


   Jiu-Roku-Zakura
   


   The Dream of Akinosuke
   


   Riki-Baka
   


   Hi-Mawari
   


   Horai
   


Insect Studies:

   Butterflies
   


   Mosquitoes
   


   Ants