• Iron tsuba of round form with design of  hatchet, snowflake, and triple diamond in openwork (ko-sukashi), and inlaid with five concentric circles of brass dots (ten-zōgan) and brass inner circular line. Sukashi elements outlined in brass.

    Late Muromachi period. Diameter: 82.4 mm; Thickness: 3.0 mm The triple lozenge (or diamond) is similar to the one on TSU-305 from Sasano Collection # 15. Very old motif; as Sasano remarks in his book "...represents the unstable political situation at the time".

    Kokusai Tosogu Kai 5th International Convention & Exhibition, October 28-30, 2009 at NEZU Museum, Tokyo, Japan, on page 83 provides the following explanation of the triple diamond symbol: "The pine bark is the form of the Diamonds, "Bishi", mon, seen from Nara period, found on cloth stored in the Shoso In, and used primarily by the Takeda family. The form of Bishi mon [similar to ours] is called "Chu Kage Matsukawa Bishi", (Middle Shaded Pine Bark Diamond)."

    A combination of hatchet (usually an axe) and a triple diamond (Matsukawabishi) alludes to the Nō play Hachi-no-ki (ref: Iron tsuba. The works of the exhibition "Kurogane no hana", The Japanese Sword Museum, 2014; AND Sasano: Japanese Sword Guard Masterpieces from the Sasano Collection. By Sasano Masayuki. Part One. Published in Japan in 1994.
  • Okon's Lover Fukuoka Mitsugi, from the series Mirror of Virtuous Women (Teijo misao kagami)「てい女 美作保鏡 おこん 福岡貢」. Artist: Utagawa Kuniyoshi [歌川 國芳] (Japanese, 1798 – 1861). Publisher: Kojimaya Jūbei [小嶋屋重兵衛] (Japanese, fl. c. 1797 – 1869). Year: 1843–47 (Tenpô 14–Kôka 4). Signed: 一勇斎国芳画 – Ichiyûsai Kuniyoshi ga. Censor's seal: Watari. Size: Vertical ôban; 36.8 x 25.6 cm Ref.: MFA № 11.16085.
  • Title: A | GENERAL HISTORY | OF | QUADRUPEDS. | – | THE FIGURES ENGRAVED ON WOOD | BY | THOMAS BEWICK. | — | THE FIFTH EDITION | {vignette} | NEWCASTLE UPON TYNE: | PRINTED BY EDWARD WALKER, FOR  T. BEWICK AND S. HODGSON: | SOLD BY THEM, AND ALL BOOKSELLERS. | 1807. Pagination: [2 blanks], [i, ii] – t.p. / blank], [iii, iv] – advertisement, [v] vi-x – index, [1] 2-525 [526 advert. of British Birds] [2 blanks]. Collation: Royal 8vo in fours; π (engraved title), a4 A-3T4 χ3T3. F2 signed 2F, 2E2 unsigned, p. 131 numbered correctly, p. 257 numbered 572. Size: 26 x 17 cm; page 24.5 x 16 cm (royal). Woodcuts: 302 descriptions of quadrupeds, 225 figures and 112 vignettes, tail-pieces, etc. Binding: Full diced brown calf, embossed blind corner fleurons, gilt-tooled border inside and outside, AEG, spine with raised bands, gilt in compartments, lettering; binding restored; armorial bookplate "Thorpe" to front pastedown. Likely to be Thomas Thorpe (1791 – 1851), a prominent bookseller in London: Bedford Street, Covent Garden; started in 1818, went bankrupt on Dec. 31, 1825. Thorpe's family coat of arms: stag standing on a crown and a lion rampant. Catalogue raisonné: S. Roscoe (1953): pp. 23-27. Hugo (1866): pp. 22-24.
  • Title page [in black and blue]: ЭРАЗМ | РОТТЕРДАМСКИЙ | ПОХВАЛЬНОЕ СЛОВО | ГЛУПОСТИ | ПЕРЕВОД И КОММЕНТАРИИ | П. К. ГУБЕРА | ВСТУПИТЕЛЬНАЯ СТАТЬЯ | И. СМИЛГИ | {vignette} | ACADEMIA | МОСКВА ~ ЛЕНИНГРАД | 1932 ||

    Pagination: [1-7] 8-236 [4], in-text illustrations after Hans Holbein the Younger, title page, DJ, cloth by Л. С. Хижинский, photo reproduction of the portrait of Erasmus by Hans Holbein the Younger from The Louvre museum w/guard paper.

    Collation: 8vo; [1]8 2-158, + 1 plate extraneous to collation (portrait).

    Binding: 18 x 13 cm; Pictorial stamped cloth, pictorial DJ, pictorial endpapers, back board blind-stamped.

    Print run: 5,300 copies.

    Catalogue raisonné: Крылов-Кичатова (2004), №477, p. 221. (in 1930 section). Contributors: Desiderius Erasmus Roterodamus (Dutch, c. 1469 – 1536) – author of the original text in Latin. Hans Holbein the Younger (German, 1497/8 – 1543) – artist. Губер, Пётр Константинович (Russian, 1886 – 1941) – translator from Latin into Russian (died in GULAG) Смилга, Ивар Тенисович (Latvian-Russian, 1892 – 1937) – author, foreword (shot by a firing squad). Хижинский, Леонид Семёнович (Russian, 1896 – 1972) – artist (title page, DJ, cloth).    
  • Front wrapper and t.p.: THE | INTERNATIONAL | JEW | The Truth About | "The Protocols of Zion" | By ERIC D. BUTLER | ∞ | Hitler’s Views on “The Protocols”: | “I SAW AT ONCE WE MUST COPY IT.” | “The question of the Jews and their influence on the world, past and present, cuts to the root of all things and should be discussed by every honest thinker” | — Dr. Oscar Levy, Famous Jewish Writer. | Price — 2/6 || (T.p.: same with the full stop (.) after 2/6. Stamp to t.p.: Women’s Voice | 537 SO. DEARBORN ST. | ROOM 800 | CHICAGO 5. ILL. || [2] 3-167 [168]. Binding: Lettered publisher’s wrappers, 18 x 12 cm. Butler, Eric Dudley (Australian, 1916 – 2006) Osborne, Robert Martin (British-Australian, 1862 – 1931) — Australian printer and publisher. Levy, Oscar (German-Jewish, 1867 – 1946) Hitler, Adolf (German, 1889 – 1945)
  • Iron tsuba of round form with design of iris and snowflake in openwork (ko-sukashi or small cut-outs) outlined with brass wire. Three concentric rows of brass dots (ten-zōgan), with a brass circular line inside the innermost row of dots (missing on the back). Hitsu-ana is not outlined with brass wire, which let us suppose that it was cut out at a later date. Iron and brass. Ko-sukashi and ten-zōgan technique. Mid Muromachi period (1454-1513). Height: 74.0 mm, Width: 73.6 mm, Thickness: 3.0 mm.

    NBTHK certification of 1968: "Kicho". Condition is relatively poor: rust, missing inlay, scratches.

    While representation of the snowflake is rather standard, the meaning of the other cut-out design was initially less clear. Similar symbol was found at (1) "Kokusai Tosogu Kai, International Convention & Exhibition, September 24-25, 2005, The Frazier Historical Arms Museum, Louisville, Kentucky, USA"; on page 21 there is a photograph J-6 of a ko-tosho tsuba with "iris theme openwork"; (2) Japanese Swords and Tsuba from the Professor A. Z. Freeman and the Phyllis Sharpe Memorial collections. Sotheby's, London, Thursday 10 April 1997; page 11, lot 6 - a ko-katchushi tsuba of early Muromachi period fith "simple design of stylized iris". In both sources the symbol is explained as 'iris" (kakitsubata).

    Freeman and Sharpe collections. Sotheby's, 1997.

    Kokusai Tosogu Kai, September 24-25, 2005.

  • Softcover, pictorial wrappers, square 21 x 21 cm, 40 leaves, unpaginated, with illustrations in colour, 80 entries, with price list laid in; limited edition of 700 copies. Contributor: Israel Goldman In this collection:

    JPD-0008.2016: Mori Sosen. Ink and colour on silk.

  • Title: ДЖОЗЕФ КОНРАД |{device} | ТАЙНЫЙ АГЕНТ | • | НА ВЗГЛЯД ЗАПАДА | • |  Издание подготовил | В.М. ТОЛМАЧЕВ | Научно-издательский центр | «Ладомир» | «Наука» | Москва || Frontispiece: JOSEPH CONRAD |{device} | THE SECRET AGENT | • | UNDER WESTERN EYES || Pagination: [1-9] 10-595 [3] [2 advert.]. Binding: serial green cloth blind-stamped with a scroll adorned with gold lettering to board and spine, 22.5 x 17 cm. Original titles: [LIB-2762.2021] Joseph Conrad. The secret agent: a simple tale. — London: Methuen & Co., [1907]; [LIB-3213.2023] Joseph Conrad. The secret agent: A drama in three acts. — London, T. Werner Laurie, 1923.  
  • Title (black and red): ДЖЕЙМС МАКФЕРСОН | ПОЭМЫ ОССИАНА | {device} | ИЗДАНИЕ ПОДГОТОВИЛ | Ю. Д. ЛЕВИН | ИЗДАТЕЛЬСТВО «НАУКА» | ЛЕНИНГРАДСКОЕ ОТДЕЛЕНИЕ | ЛЕНИНГРАД | 1983 || Title verso: РЕДАКЦИОННАЯ КОЛЛЕГИЯ СЕРИИ | «ЛИТЕРАТУРНЫЕ ПАМЯТНИКИ» | (list of names) | Ответственный редактор | академик М. П. АЛЕКСЕЕВ (in frame) | Редактор перевода | Э. Л. ЛИНЕЦКАЯ. Frontispiece (black and red): JAMES MACPHERSON | THE POEMS OF OSSIAN | {device} || Print run: 30,000 copies. Collation: 8vo; [1]8 2-378. Pagination: [1, 2] – serial h.t. / frontis.] [3, 4] – t.p. / editorial board] [portrait / blank] [5, 6] – original t.p. fac-simile / text, 7–589 [590] – imprint, [2] – advert.; 3 leaves of plates. Binding: serial green buckram blind-stamped with a scroll adorned with gold lettering to board and spine. Джеймс Макферсон. Поэмы Оссиана. Ю. Д. Левин. Э. Л. Линецкая.  
  • A two-volume edition. 1st vol. Title (in black and red): МИШЕЛЬ | МОНТЕНЬ | ОПЫТЫ | В ТРЕХ КНИГАХ | КНИГИ | ПЕРВАЯ И ВТОРАЯ | Издание подготовили | А. С. БОБОВИЧ | Ф. А. КОГАН-БЕРНШТЕЙН | Н. Я. РЫКОВА, А. А. СМИРНОВ | Второе издание | ИЗДАТЕЛЬСТВО "НАУКА | МОСКВА | 1979 || Opposite title: MICHEL |de | MONTAIGNE | LES ESSAIS || Pagination: [1-5] 6-703 [1], errata slip. Collation: 16mo, [1]-2216, + frontispiece portrait and 2 plates extraneous to collation. 2nd vol. Title (2) (in black and red): МИШЕЛЬ | МОНТЕНЬ | ОПЫТЫ | В ТРЕХ КНИГАХ | КНИГА ТРЕТЬЯ | Издание подготовили | А. С. БОБОВИЧ | Ф. А. КОГАН-БЕРНШТЕЙН | Н. Я. РЫКОВА, А. А. СМИРНОВ | Второе издание | ИЗДАТЕЛЬСТВО "НАУКА | МОСКВА | 1979 || Opposite title: MICHEL |de | MONTAIGNE | LES ESSAIS || Pagination: [1-5] 6-534 [2]. Collation: 8vo, [1]-348, + frontispiece portrait. Binding: Uniformly bound in serial design green cloth with gilt lettering on an embossed scroll to front cover, gilt lettering to spine, 22 x 18 cm. Print run: 200,000 copies each volume. Michel Eyquem de Montaigne (French, 1533 – 1592) Ананий [Анатолий] Самуилович Бобович (Russian-Jewish, 1904 – 1988) Надежда Януарьевна Рыкова (Russian, 1901 – 1996) Александр Александрович Смирнов (Russian, 1883– 1962) Фаина Абрамовна Коган-Бернштейн [b. Аронгауз] (Russian-Jewish, 1899 – 1976)
  • Shingen school (or style) tsuba of round form with iron core and web, covered with a thin brass plate decorated with star-shaped punch marks. The rim of tsuba is a brass nawame-fukurin. Between the central brass plate and the rim there is woven wire of brass and copper in a basketweave pattern. Both hitsu-ana have raised rim. Traces of oxidation. Unsigned. Edo period, 18th century. Size: Height: 88.4 mm, Width: 86.6 mm, Thickness at seppa-dai: 4.6 mm. Weight: 132.4 g. Robert E. Haynes in his "Study Collection of Japanese Sword Fittings. Nihon Art Publishers, 2010" on p. 117 says: "Brass outer plate of round shape. This tsuba has an iron core tsuba of spoke form as made by Saotome school, ca. 1500. There are brass plates on either side connected to the rim by woven brass and shakudō wire. The wire has been hand drawn, which is very difficult. The hitsuana are brass lined and the rim has a brass cover. This type of tsuba is referred to as a Shingen tsuba. This is a reference to Takeda Shingen Harunobu (1521-1573), the great and famous daimyō." For reference see the MFA collection. A look-a-like tsuba is illustrated in Compton Collection, vol. 2, p. 26-27, №52:

    Compton Collection, vol. 2, p. 26-27, №52.

    More details and examples can be found at: http://varshavskycollection.com/shingen-tsuba/
  • Hardcover volume, 31 x 23.5 cm, bound in full crimson canvas, reproduction colour print with black border pasted to embossed panel, ivory paper label with black lettering to spine, pp.: ffl, [1-4] (t.p./imprint, dedication/blank, 5-337 [338] colophon, 146 b/w woodblock prints by Sharaku photomechanically reproduced, within the pagination. Title-page: THE SURVIVING WORKS OF | SHARAKU | By HAROLD G. HENDERSON | and LOUIS V. LEDOUX | {device} | {blank} | PUBLISHED BY E. WEYNE • NEW YORK | ON BEHALF OF THE | SOCIETY OF THE JAPANESE STUDIES | 1939 || Colophon: PRINTED BY PETER BEILENSON AT THE WALPOLE PRINTING OFFICE | MOUNT VERNON • NEW YORK || Contributors: Harold Gould Henderson (American, 1889 – 1974)– author. Louis Vernon Ledoux (American, 1880 – 1948) – author. Tōshūsai Sharaku [東洲斎 写楽] (Japanese, fl. 1794 – 1795) – artist. Peter Beilenson (American, 1905 – 1962) – printer. Society for Japanese Studies – publisher. Walpole Printing Office (Mount Vernon, NY) – printer
  • Title: PROBLÈMES ET DOCUMENTS | HENRI ROLLIN | L'APOCALYPSE | DE | NOTRE TEMPS | Les dessous de la propagande allemande | d'après des documents inédits | nrf | S. P. | GALLIMARD | Paris — 43, rue de Beaune Pagination: [1-9] 10-567 [9]. Size: 22.6 x 14.2 cm Binding: original publisher's wrappers. Ex libris Lorenzo Grazzini of Librairie Scritti (book store in Paris). Publishing Year: 1939; Publisher: Gallimard; Acheve d'impremier - Le 23 Septembre 1939 par l'Impremierie Orleanaise 68, rue Royale, Orleans.
  • Title (black and red): ШИЦЗИН | [device} | ИЗДАНИЕ ПОДГОТОВИЛИ | А.А. ШТУКИН И Н.Т. ФЕДОРЕНКО | ИЗДАТЕЛЬСТВО АКАДЕМИИ НАУК СССР | МОСКВА | 1957 Title page verso: РЕДАКЦИОННАЯ КОЛЛЕГИЯ СЕРИИ «ЛИТЕРАТУРНЫЕ ПАМЯТНИКИ» (names) Ответственный редактор доктор филологических наук Н. Т. ФЕДОРЕНКО Поэтическая редакция А. Е. АДАЛИС Pagination: [1, 2] – serial h.t / title in Chinese 诗经, [3, 4] – t.p. / editorial board, [5, 6] – editorial / blank, [7, 8] – f.t. / blank, 9-610 [611] [612 colophon]; print run 3,500 copies. Collation: [1]8 2-398. Binding: 23 x 17.5 cm; serial green cloth blind-stamped with a scroll adorned with gold lettering to board and spine. Содержание: От редакции. — С. 5; Шицзин / Пер. A.A. Штукина: Нравы царств. — С. 7-193; Малые оды. — С. 195-325; Великие оды. — С. 327-409; Гимны. — С. 411-466. Приложения: Федоренко Н.Т. «Книга песен». — С. 469-530; Комментарии / Сост. A.A. Штукин, ред. В.А. Кривцов. — С. 531-600.

    (Shijing)

  • Volume 1: Land birds – 7th edition; Supplement: 1st edition. Title: A | HISTORY | OF | BRITISH BIRDS. | THE FIGURES ENGRAVED ON WOOD BY T. BEWICK. | VOL. I. | CONTAINING THE | HISTORY AND DESCRIPTION OF LAND BIRDS | — | AND | A SUPPLEMENT, WITH ADDITIONAL FIGURES. | — | NEWCASTLE: | PRINTED BY EDWARD WALKER, PILGRIM STREET, | FOR T. BEWICK : SOLD BY HIM, AND E. CHARNLEY, NEWCASTLE ; | AND LONGMAN AND CO. LONDON. | 1821. || Pagination: [2 blanks], [i, ii] – t.p. / blank, [iii] iv-xl, [43] 44-330, [2] – suppl. t.p. / blank, [1] 2-46 [47] – contents, [48] – advert., [2 blanks]. Collation: 8vo in fours; π1 A-C4 E3 F-2S4 π1 B-G4; I2, N2, and 2A2 unsigned. Woodcuts: 157 descriptions of birds, 140 figures of birds, 127 vignettes, tail-pieces, figures in text, etc. Volume 2: Water birds – 5th edition; Supplement: 1st edition. Title: A | HISTORY | OF | BRITISH BIRDS. | THE FIGURES ENGRAVED ON WOOD BY T. BEWICK. | VOL. II. | CONTAINING THE | HISTORY AND DESCRIPTION OF WATER BIRDS | — | AND | A SUPPLEMENT, WITH ADDITIONAL FIGURES. | — | NEWCASTLE: | PRINTED BY EDWARD WALKER, PILGRIM STREET, | FOR T. BEWICK : SOLD BY HIM, AND E. CHARNLEY, NEWCASTLE ; | AND LONGMAN AND CO. LONDON. | 1821. || Pagination: [2 blanks], [i, ii] – t.p. / blank, [iii] iv-xxii, [19] 20-360, [2] – suppl. t.p. / blank, [1] 2-43 [44] – contents, [1] 2-7 – addenda., [8] – imprint, [2 blanks]. Collation: 8vo in fours; π1 A-B4 *B2 C-2X4 2Y3 π1 B-F4 G2 [H]4; E2, F2, G2, 2G2, 2T2 and Suppl. G2 and Addenda unsigned. Woodcuts: 162 descriptions of birds, 125 figures of birds, 137 vignettes, tail-pieces, figures in text, etc. Both volumes: Size: 21.3 x 14 cm; page: 20.7 x 13.1 cm, demy. Binding: Green half-calf over marbled boards, blind-ruled raised bands with gilt ornament, crimson gilt-ruled and lettered labels to spine. For the first edition see: LIB-2614.2021 Catalogue raisonné: Hugo (1866): № (99) 94 –120 (108) / pp. 40-58; Roscoe (1953): № 24 a-c, 25 a-c, 26 a-c, 27 a-c, 28 / pp. 104 - 114.
  • Ippitsusai Bunchō [一筆斎文調] (Japanese, 1725 – 1794). Size: Vertical Hosoban. As the Library of Congress put it: "Print shows the actor Ichikawa Monnosuke II, full-length portrait, facing left, standing on the snow-covered veranda". Actor: Ichikawa Monnosuke II [市川門之助] (Japanese, 1743/56 – 1794); other names: Ichikawa Benzō I, Takinaka Hidematsu II, Takinaka Tsuruzō. According to Heroes of the Kabuki Stage [LIB-1197.2016] Ichikawa Monnosuke II was active from 11/1770 to 10/1794. Play: Chūshingura [忠臣蔵] (The Treasury of Loyal Retainers), played at Nakamuraza in the 4the month of Meiwa 8 (1771). The actor played in a variety of roles and performances and was the subject of multiple woodblock prints by many famous ukiyo-e artists, including Bunchō, Katukawa Shunkō, Katukawa Shunshō, Katsukawa Shun'ei, Tōshūsai Sharaku, and many others. Ref: Vever (1976), vol. 1, № 242, p. 227.  

    Katsukawa Shun'ei. The Actor Ichikawa Monnosuke II in an Aragoto Role. LACME.

     

    Actor Ichikawa Monnosuke II as Date no Yosaku Artist Tôshûsai Sharaku (Japanese, active 1794–1795), Publisher Tsutaya Jûzaburô (Kôshodô) (Japanese) 1794 (Kansei 6), 5th month. MFA.

     

    Ippitsusai Bunchô. Actor Ichikawa Monnosuke II as Tsunewakamaru. Play: Iro Moyô Aoyagi Soga Theater: Nakamura. MFA.

  • Hardcover volume, 24.3 x 17.3 cm, bound in black buckram with blind barbed wire design and silver lettering to front cover and spine, pp.: [2] 3-959 [960]. Одеський мартиролог: Данi про репресованих Одеси i Одеськоï областi за роки радянськоï  влады (Серiя «Реабiлiтованi iсторiэю») (Том 4) / Уклад.: Л. В. Ковальчук, Г. О. Разумов— Одеса: СМИЛ, 2006. Title-page: Научно-документальная серия книг | «РЕАБИЛИТИРОВАННЫЕ ИСТОРИЕЙ» | ОДЕССКИЙ | МАРТИРОЛОГ | ТОМ 4 | Одесса | СМИЛ | 2006 || ISBN: 966-8127-63-3 Print run: 1,000 copies. Ковальчук, Лидия Всеволодовна Разумов, Георгий Александрович
  • Thin iron tsuba of round form with design of family crests (mon) and arabesque (karakusa) in brass or copper inlay (suemon-zōgan) and occasional scattered brass dots or nail heads in ten-zōgan. Seppa-dai outlined with brass wire in the shape of a rope; kozuka-hitsu-ana outlined with scalloped brass wire. Rounded rim with iron bones (tekkotsu). The surface covered with lacquer (urushi). Ōnin school. Late Muromachi period, 16th century. Family crests on the face: 1:30: Two lines (double stripe) encircled (maruni futatsu biki). 4:30: Stylized clove (choji). 7:30: Divided rhombus, or four lozenges incorporated in one (wari-bishi); it is also called Takeda-bishi, the family crest of warrior Takeda Shingen (among the others). 10:00: Stylized Genji-mon (Genji kō-zu) or incense symbol. On the reverse: 2:00 - "Chinese cloud" not a crest. 5:00: Bit (Kutsuwa) 7:30: Number four in a fan (ōgi-san) 10:30: Two dots in a well frame (igeta).