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Pagination: [2] – letterpress title / blank, [2] – t.p. contents / to readers, [1] 2-368 [4 index], + 9 b/w and 27 coloured plates. Collation: 4to; letterpress title, [A]1 B-Z4 Aa-Zz4 3A-3B4 3C3. Binding: 25 x 16 cm; gilt-ruled half-calf over marbled boards, flat spine, gilt-ruled compartments, gilt lettering; front board almost detached. References: Martin Hardie (1906), p.310 [LIB-2623.2021]; R. V. Tooley (1935), p. 26 [LIB-2641.2021]; J. R. Abbey (1953), Cat. № 212, p. 166 [LIB-2622.2021]. -
Front wrapper (in black and red in a red frame): ГОСУДАРСТВЕННАЯ ОРДЕНА ЛЕНИНА БИБЛИОТЕКА СССР | ИМЕНИ В. И. ЛЕНИНА — {СК} (white stylized letters on red background) | СВОДНЫЙ | КАТАЛОГ | РУССКОЙ | НЕЛЕГАЛЬНОЙ | И ЗАПРЕЩЕННОЙ | ПЕЧАТИ XIX ВЕКА | КНИГИ И ПЕРИОДИЧЕСКИЕ ИЗДАНИЯ | МОСКВА 1981 || Title page: ГОСУДАРСТВЕННАЯ ОРДЕНА ЛЕНИНА БИБЛИОТЕКА СССР| ИМЕНИ В. И. ЛЕНИНА | СВОДНЫЙ КАТАЛОГ | РУССКОЙ НЕЛЕГАЛЬНОЙ | И ЗАПРЕЩЕННОЙ ПЕЧАТИ | XIX ВЕКА | КНИГИ И ПЕРИОДИЧЕСКИЕ ИЗДАНИЯ | 2-Е ДОПОЛНЕННОЕ И ПЕРЕРАБОТАННОЕ ИЗДАНИЕ | Часть I. Книги. А–М (№ 1–1158). | МОСКВА 1981 || Publisher’s wrappers, 21.5 x 14.5 cm, lettering to front and spine; pagination: [2] – t.p. / imprint, 3-198 [2]; collation: 8vo; [1]-138. Print run 1,250 copies. Науч. ред.: Итенберг, Борис Самуилович (Russian, 1921 – 2016). «Сводный каталог русской нелегальной и запрещенной печати XIX века. Книги и периодические издания» состоит из трех частей: Часть 1. Книги А–М. (№ 1–1158) Часть 2. Книги Н–Я. Периодические издания (№ 1159–2576) [LIB-2660.2021] Часть 3-я. Приложения. Вспомогательные указатели. Список источников. [LIB-2661.2021] -
Hardcover volume, 24 x 18 cm, pictorial paper over cardboard boards, pictorial endpapers, and pictorial DJ; pp.: [2] – pictorial t.p. / copyrignt+imprint + [26] unpaginated pages (13 leaves); in-text photomechanical b/w and coloured illustrations after Feodor Rojankovsky. DJ and front cover (pictorial): JUST SO STORIES SERIES | RUDYARD KIPLING | THE | ELEPHANT'S | CHILD | PICTURED BY F. ROJANKOVSKY || Title-page (pictorial): JUST SO STORIES SERIES | THE | ELEPHANT'S | CHILD | RUDYARD KIPLING | ILLUSTRATED BY | F. ROJANKOVSKY | GARDEN CITY PUBLISHING COMPANY, INC., GARDEN CITY, N. Y. || Contributors: Rudyard Kipling (British, 1865 – 1936) Feodor Rojankovsky [Rojan; Фёдор Степанович Рожанковский] (Russian-American, 1891 – 1970) -
Title: REFLECTIONS | ON THE | REVOLUTION IN FRANCE, | AND ON THE | PROCEEDINGS IN CERTAIN SOCIETIES | IN LONDON | RELATIVE TO THAT EVENT. | IN A | LETTER | INTENDED TO HAVE BEEN SENT TO A GENTLEMAN | IN PARIS. | BY THE RIGHT HONOURABLE | EDMUND BURKE. | — | {in lozenges} THE THIRD EDITION. | —| LONDON: | PRINTED FOR J. DODSLEY, IN PALL-MALL. | M.DCC.XC. || Pagination: [i-iii] iv, [1] 2-364, total 368 pages. Collation: 8vo; π2 B-Z8 Aa6 (plus one blank flyleaf in the front and one in the back), total 184 leaves. Binding: 23 x 14.5 cm, publisher’s paper-backed binding in blue boards with handwritten title to spine (illegible), laid paper, margins untrimmed. Housed in a modern brown cloth clamshell box with brown gilt-lettered label. Note: The second edition same year has a total of 360 pages (iv, 356); see LIB-2590.2021. Inscription to title page: Philip [ON THE] Williams Penpont – that is probably of Philip Williams Esq., of Penpont, Breconshire, Wales. (c. 1742 – 1794). -
Title: L'ELOGE | DE | LA FOLIE, | TRADUIT | DU LATIN D'ERASME | Par M. Gueudeville. | NOUVELLE EDITION REVÛE & CORRIGÉE | sur le Texte de l'Edition de Basle. | ORNÉE DE NOUVELLES FIGURES. | AVEC DES NOTES. | {vignette Eisen / Le Mire} | — | M. DCC LI. || Pagination: [2 blank] [2] – h.t. / blank, [2] – t.p. / {citation*} | [4] – explication des figures; [i] ii-xxiv, [1] 2-222, [2] – table, [2 blank], plus frontispiece and 13 plates by various engravers after Charles Eisen, total number of pages 10+24+222+4=260, ils. Collation: 4to; [1 blank], π4 a-c4 A-Ee4 [1 blank], total number of leaves 130 plus frontispiece and 13 plates. Plates printed in black, paper 24 x 17.8 cm (grand papeir, 9.5 x 7 inches). Binding: Contemporary mottled calf, triple fillet gilt border with pomegranate corner pieces to boards, spine with raised bands, gilt foliage and pomegranates in compartments, red morocco spine label, all edges gilt, rebacked preserving the original spine and peacock marbled endpapers. Size: 24.8 x 18.8 cm; leaves 24 x 17.8 cm; text printed area: 10 x 6 cm. * Citattion: Admonere voluimus, non lædere: | Consulere moribus Hominum, | non officere. | Erasm. Epist. ad Mart. Dorpium Theolog. Usually, the citation is "Admonere voluimus, non mordere; prodesse, non laedere…", etc. Rococo-framed frontispiece engraved by Martinasie under the supervision of Le Bas. Contributors: Erasmus, Desiderius [Roterodamus] (Dutch, 1466 – 1536) – author. Gueudeville, Nicolas (French, 1652 – 1721) – translator. Meusnier de Querlon, Anne-Gabriel (French, 1702 – 1780) – notes. Eisen, Charles (French, 1720 – 1778) – artist. Engravers: Aliamet, Jacques (French, 1726 – 1788) Flipart, Charles Joseph (French, 1721 – 1797) Beauvais, Nicolas Dauphin de (French, 1687 – 1736) Pinssio [Pincio], Sébastien (French, 1721 – after 1744) Martenasie, Pierre François (French-Flemish, 1729 – 1789) Le Bas [Lebas], Jacques-Philippe (French, 1707 – 1783) Provenance: Bishop, Cortlandt Field (American, 1870 – 1935) – bookplate. Mary S. Collins – bookplate by J. H. Fincken. Robin F. Satinsky (American, 1919 – 2008) – Robin Collection bookplate. Catalogue raisonné: Cohen–deRichi 348-349; Lewine, p. 170; Ray (French) № 24, pp. 52-54. -
Title-page: APOLOGIA | DEL S. TORQVATO | TASSO. | IN DIFESA DELLA SVA | GIERVSALEMME | LIBERATA. | Con alcune Opere, partien in accusa, | partein difesa dell Orlando Furioso | dell’Ariosto. | Della Gierusalem- | me istessa , e dell’Amadigi | del Tasso Padre. | I titoli tutti si leggono nella feguente | facciata. | con privilegi. | {publisher’s device} | In Mantoua, Per Francesco Osana. | M D LXXXV. || 1st blank π1, [a]-a8; (9 leaves, 18 pp., unpaginated) Divisional t.p. (1): DE GLI | ACCADEMICI | DELLA CRVSCA | DIFESA DELL’ ORLANDO | FVRIOSO DELL’ ARIOSTO | Contra’l Dialogo dell’Epica | poesia di Camillo | Pellegrino. | Stacciata prima. | {woodcut} ||; A-E12 [2]A1 (61 leaves, 122 pp., unpaginated). Divisional t.p. (2): APOLOGIA | DEL S. TORQVATO | TASSO. | IN DIFESA DELLA SVA | GIERVSALEMME | LIBERATA. | {publisher’s device} | IN MANTOVA, |—| Per Francesco Osanna. | MDLXXXV. || [2]A11 2B-[2]I12 [2]K4, pp. [2] 3-219 [3] (111 leaves, 222 pages). Divisional t.p. (3): DELL’ | INFARINATO | ACADEMICO | DELLA CRVSCA … etc. | MDLXXXV. | Con licenza de’ Superiori. || [3]A-[3]G12, pp. [2] 3-164, 163 (i.e. 165) [3] (84 leaves, 168 pages). Divisional t.p. (4): RIPOSTA | DEL S. TORQVATO | TASSO, | ALLA LETTERA | DI BASTIAN ROSSI, …etc. | MDLXXXV. | Con licenza de’ Superiori. || [4]A-[4]E12 F8, ([4]B3 i.e. [4]A3), pp. [2] 3-135 [1] (68 leaves, 136 pages). Divisional t.p. (5): DISCORSO | IN TORNO | A’CONTRASTI, | CHE SI FANNO | SOPRA… ect. | M D LXXXVI. || [5]A-[5]D12 E4, pp. [2]3-67, 66 (i.e. 68), 92 (69), 70-73 (70-73), 94 (74), 95 (75), 76, 77, 98-115 (78-95), 112 (96), 97-100, [4] (52 leaves, 104 pages). Divisional t.p. (6): PARERE | DEL SIGNOR | TORQVATO | TASSO. | SOPRA IL DISCORSO | del Signor Horatio Lom- | bardello intorno a’ | contrasti,&c. … etc. | M D LXXXVI. || [6]A12 [6]B6 (incl. last blank), pp. [1-5] 6-33 [3] (18 leaves, 36 pages). Collation: 12mo; π1, a8, A-E12, [2]A-[2]I12 [2]K4, [3]A-[3]G12, [4]A-[4]E12 F8, [5]A-[5]D12 E4, [6]A12 [6]B6 (incl. last blank), total 403 leaves, 806 pages, in-text woodcut head- and tailpieces, and initials. Binding: 14.4 x 9 cm, 19th-century quarter calf over marbled boards, raised bands, gilt-bordered compartments, gilt lettering, three flyleaves at the front and back, "The Robin Collection" bookplate to front pastedown. Provenance: The Robin Collection. Contributors: Torquato Tasso (Italian, 1544 –1595) – author. Orazio Ariosto (Italian, 1555 – 1593) – author. Ludovico Ariosto (Italian, 1474 – 1533) – author. Camillo Pellegrino (Italian, 1527-1603) – author. Francesco Osanna [Osana] (Italian, fl. 1549 – 1608) – printer, publisher. -
Softcover, in pictorial wrappers, 28 x 21.7 cm, 25 entries, with colour illustrations, some folding. Catalogue of the sales exhibition on March 28 -April 7, 2006, in NY; pagination: [2] 3-61 [62 blank [2], ils. Contributor: Sebastian Izzard -
Softcover, in flapped pictorial wrappers, 28 x 21.7 cm, 16 entries, with colour illustrations. Catalogue # 5 of the sales exhibition on September 17-22, 2001 in NY; pagination: [1-3] 4-33 [3], ils. Contributor: Sebastian Izzard -
Description: Hardcover, 20.8 x 13.3 cm, green buckram with gilt lettering to spine, gilt serial design and lettering to front cover, pp.: [1-6] 7-479 [480]. Incl. Ф.-Р. де Шатобриан. «Гений христианства», пер. О. Э. Гринберг. Title-page : | — | ЭСТЕТИКА РАННЕГО ФРАНЦУЗСКОГО РОМАНТИЗМА |— | {publisher’s device} | МОСКВА | ИСКУССТВО | 1982 | 3 || François-René de Chateaubriand (French, 1768 – 1848) – author Ольга Эммануиловна Гринберг (Russian, 1950 – 2008) – translator Вера Аркадьевна Мильчина [Vera Miltchina] (Russian, b. 1953) – foreword, translator -
Mikhail Uspensky, Elena Varshavskaya. The netsuke and Japanese woodblock prints from the collection of S. P. Varshavsky. Printed by demand of The Hermitage Museum. Title-page (vertical bottom to top): ГОСУДАРСТВЕННЫЙ ОРДЕНА ЛЕНИНА | ЭРМИТАЖ | НЭЦКЭ | И ЯПОНСКАЯ | ГРАВЮРА | из собрания | С. П. Варшавского | КАТАЛОГ ВЫСТАВКИ | — | ЛЕНИНГРАД | “ИСКУССТВО” | ЛЕНИНГРАДСКОЕ ОТДЕЛЕНИЕ | 1983 | {vignette} || Description: Softcover, pictorial wrappers, 21.5 x 14.5 cm, pp.: [1-8] 9-42 [43-51] (b/w plates unpag.) [52] 53-76 [77-95] (b/w plates unpag.) [96] (colophon); total 96 pages plus four leaves of colour plates. Catalogue:137 entries of netsuke, 69 entries of Japanese woodblock prints. Print run: 3,000 copies. Contributors: Mikhail Uspensky [Михаил Владимирович Успенский] (Russian, 1953 – 1997) Elena Varshavsky [Елена Юрьевна Варшавская (Jewish-American, b. 1952) Vladislav Sisauri [Владислав Ираклиевич Сисаури] (Russian, b. 1944) Sergei Petrovich Varshavsky [Сергей Петрович Варшавский] (Jewish-Russian, 1906 – 1980). -
Volume collated 4to, 32.5 x 21 cm, later full calf, blind-tooled boards, sunned, raised bands and gilt lettering to spine. bound without the additional engraved title-page sometimes present; title printed in black and red, woodcut headpieces and initials; a little foxing (mostly marginal) throughout, title lightly dust stained with slight chipping at extremities, minor marginal worming to early leaves (b3-I4), paper flaw to outer margin of E1; contemporary English ownership inscription of George Legh to the title, a handful of manuscript corrections to text and annotations to index. Title-page (double frame, red and black, tall ‘s’): THE MOST EXCELLENT | HUGO GROTIUS | HIS THREE | BOOKS | Treating of the | RIGHTS | OF | WAR & PEACE. | In the First is handled, | Whether any War be Just. | In the Second is shewed , | The Causes of War, both Just and Uujust (sic). | In the Third is declared , | What in War is Lawful ; that is, | Unpunishable. | With the Annotations digested into the | Body of every Chapter. | — | Translated into ENGLISH by | William Evats, B. D. | — | LONDON, | Printed by M. W. for Thomas Basset at the George in Fleetstreet, and | Ralph Smith at the Bible under the Piazza of the Royal Exchange | in Cornhill. M DC LXXXII. || Collation: A4 a-b4 c3 B-Z4 2A-2D4 2E6 3A-3Z4 4A-4D4 4E-4L2; total 247 leaves as called for; lacking engraved title-page. Pagination: [4] i-xxi [5] 1-220 (text continuous) 361-572 [573] [574 blank] [30 table]; total 494 pages. Seller’s note: First edition of the first complete English translation, following Barksdale’s abridgement, of Grotius’s landmark work of political philosophy, the first treatise on international law. First published in Latin in 1625, Grotius’s De iure belli ac pacis “became the basic manual for both the theoretical justification and the entire practice of the international law of war as well as of international law in general for the whole period of the ancien régime in Europe” [Duchhardt, p. 288]. “It would be hard to imagine any work more central to the intellectual world of the Enlightenment … [By] the time of the post-First World War settlement, Grotius was regarded almost exclusively as the founder of modern civilized interstate relations, and as a suitable tutelary presence for the new Peace Palace at The Hague … [In] some ways that was to radically misunderstand Grotius’s views on war; he was in fact much more of an apologist for aggression and violence than many of his more genuinely innovative qualities of his moral theory, qualities that entitle him to an essential place in the history of political theory …” [Tuck, pp. xi-xii]. Contributors: Hugo Grotius (Dutch, 1583 – 1645) – author. William Evats (British, c.1606 – 1677) – translator. Margaret White (British, fl. 1678 – 1683) – printer. Thomas Bassett (British, fl. c. 1659 – 1693) – publisher/bookseller. Ralph Smith (British, fl. 1642 – 1684) – publisher/bookseller. -
Hardcover volume, 24.2 x 17.2 cm, bound in black buckram with blind barbed wire design and silver lettering to front cover and spine, pp.: [2] 3-892 [4]. Одеський мартиролог: Данi про репресованих Одеси i Одеськоï областi за роки радянськоï влады (Серiя «Реабiлiтованi iсторiэю») (Том 3) / Уклад.: Л. В. Ковальчук, Г. О. Разумов— Одеса : ОКФА, 2005. Title-page: Научно-документальная серия книг | «РЕАБИЛИТИРОВАННЫЕ ИСТОРИЕЙ» | ОДЕССКИЙ | МАРТИРОЛОГ | ТОМ 3 | Одесса | ОКФА | 2005 || ISBN: 966-571-124-5 Print run: 1,000 copies. Ковальчук, Лидия Всеволодовна Разумов, Георгий Александрович -
Paperback, 21.3 x 14.4 cm, 8vo, in original wrappers, lettered to front and spine, printed on brownish paper, previous owner's blue crayon manuscript, water stain to the outside, collated [1] 2-208 2110 (total 340 pp.); pp: [1-5] 6-340. Title-page: Пооф. В. Я. ПРОПП | ИСТОРИЧЕСКИЕ | КОРНИ | ВОЛШЕБНОЙ СКАЗКИ | ИЗДАТЕЛЬСТВО | ЛЕНИНГРАДСКОГО ГОСУДАРСТВЕННОГО | ОРДЕНА ЛЕНИНА УНИВЕРСИТЕТА | ЛЕНИНГРАД | 1946 || Print run: 10,000 copies. Contributors: Владимир Яковлевич Пропп [Vladimir Propp] (Russian, 1895 – 1970) For the circulation copy see [LIB-1710.2019] В. Я. Пропп. Исторические корни волшебной сказки (2-е изд.) — Л.: Изд-во ЛГУ, 1986. English title: [LIB-1615.2018] V. Propp. Morphology of the Folktale. — Austin: University of Texas Press, 1979. -
Portfolio 265 x 225 mm, black half-buckram over diapered cardboard with flaps, black with gilt lettering in frame to front “R. KELLER | MÄRCHEN”, t.p. printed on wave paper, the folder and engravings printed on laid paper, 10 loose plates, 240 x 210 mm sheet, 135 x 110-115 mm plate; re-issue of ten plates of the first edition of 16 plates published in Austria in c. 1910s. Title-page: EROTISCHE | MÄRCHEN | 10 RADIERUNGEN | VON | RUDOLF KELLER | PRIVATDRUCK 1919 || Die Mappe enthält folgende originalradierungen: 1. Aschenbrödel; 2. Dornröschen; 3. Zwerg Nase; 4. Froschkönig; 5. Der gestiefelte Kater; 6. Hänsel und Gretel; 7. Der fliegende Koffer; 8. Schneewittchen mit den 7 Zwergen; 9. Die kleine Seejungfer; 10. Der kleine Daumling Dieses Werk wurde in einer einmaligen Auflage von 250 numerierten Exemplaren hergestellt und darf nur an Gelehrte und Sammler abgegeben werden. Die Platten wurden vernichtet. Nr. 1—50 sind vom Künstler signierte Vorzugsdrucke. Dieses Exemplar erhielt Nr. 0153. Translation: The folder contains the following original etchings: 1. Cinderella; 2. Sleeping Beauty; 3. Dwarf nose; 4. The Frog Prince; 5. Puss in Boots; 6. Hansel and Gretel; 7. The Flying Trunk; 8. Snow White with the Seven Dwarfs; 9. The Little Mermaid; 10. Little Thumbling. This work was produced in a one-time edition of 250 numbered copies and may only be sold to scholars and collectors. The copperplates were destroyed. Nos. 1-50 are special prints signed by the artist. This copy was given number 0153. Seller's description: Erotische Märchen. S.l., Privatdruck, 1919. In-8, en feuilles, sous chemise demi-chagrin vert recouverte de papier japonais. Recueil de 10 eaux-fortes originales de Rudolf Keller. Ces eaux-fortes érotiques dans les teintes brunes s'inspirent des contes de fées traditionnels comme Cendrillon, La Belle au bois dormant, Hansel et Gretel, Blanche-Neige, Le Petit Poucet etc. Tirage à 250 exemplaires. Chemise défraîchie. Jacob Grimm (German; 1785 – 1863) Wilhelm Grimm (German, 1786 – 1859) Charles Perrault (French, 1628 – 1703) Hans Christian Andersen (Danish, 1805 – 1875) -
Hand-coloured woodcut on wove paper, 487 x 365 mm; black ink stamp “5056” to reverse. Top left: imperial coat of arms; centre: "FAMILLE IMPERIALE. GRANDS DIGNITAIRES DE L'EMPIRE, MAISON DE L'EMPEREUR."; right: "№144." Image of the imperial family under imperial eagle and standards; besides – four tiers of captioned cartoons. Bottom left: "Imprimerie Lith. de Pellerin, à Épinal"; right: "Propriété de l’Éditeur. — Déposé." Jean Charles Pellerin (French, 1756 – 1836) – printer/publisher. -
Ten postcards 90 x 140 mm, text in yellow "ВСЕМIРНЫЙ ПОЧТОВЫЙ СОЮЗЪ. РОССIЯ. | UNION POSTALE UNIVERSELLE RUSSIE. | ОТКРЫТОЕ ПИСЬМО. — CARTE POSTALE. || On the reverse, a blue ink woodcut image is printed in the upper left corner, and a blue ink numbered image title is in the bottom centre. Holding the postcard against the backlight reveals a hidden image of an indecent nature (erotic). The use of Latin characters "R" and "N" instead of Russian "Р" and "Н" suggests that the cards were produced in Europe, probably in France. Inscriptions: 1. ПЕRВЫЕ ДNИ; 2. ПОRА ЛЮБВИ; 3. ВЪ ЛЮДИ; 4. КЪ "СВОБОДNОМУ ИСКУССТВУ"; 5. "СВОБОДNЫЙ ТRУДЪ; 6. БЕЗЪ ГОRЯ И ПЕЧАЛИ; 7. NАЗАДЪ КЪ "СВОБОДNОЙ ЛЮБВИ"; 8. ВСЕ ЧТО ОСТАЛОСЬ!; 9. БЕЗЪ КRОВА И ПRИСТАNИЩА; 10. ИЗЪ ЗА ХЛѢБА. -
This print was sold to me with the following description: "Ikkansai EISHO (Fl. early 19th c.). A portrait of the wrestler Kuroyanagi Matsujiro, ring name Kumagatake Inosuke. Eisho was a pupil of Eishi. Published c. 1820s by Uoya Eikichi. Signed Shunsai Eisho ga." As a result of our joint effort with my beloved sister, we have so far found the following: The artis is mentioned in The Hotei Encyclopedia of Japanese Woodblock Prints, 2005, Vol 2; p. 438 under the name of Harukawa Eichō. From this source we learned that the artist was active from about 1818 till 1844, and was a print designer in Kyoto. He was a student first of Harukawa Goshichi and later studied in Edo (Tokyo) with Keisai Eisen, when he assumed the art name 'Eichō'. Other names: Shunsai. The Japanese web page dedicated to Harukawa Eichō provides more details: The artist lived from the 4th year of Tenmei ( 1784 ) to the first year of Kaei ( 1848 ). He was a student of Harukawa Goshichi, Kikukawa Eizan as well as of Keisai Eisen. His popular name was Kamenosuke. He was from Kyoto. He took "gagō" (artistic names) of Eishō when he was a student of Harukawa Goshichi; later, when he became a student of Kikukawa Eizan and Keisai Eisen he took the name of Kikukawa Eichō. The artist was mostly known for his bijinga (beautiful women) prints as well as kanazōshi illustrations. Nothing is said anywhere about his sumo prints, though the reference to another Kyushu sumo wrestler portrait has been found. The sumo wrestler Kuroyanagi Matsujiro is also a somewhat obscure figure: information about his life and career is quite inconsistent. It may so happened that two different persons were combined together. Wikipedia page about Aoi Aso Jinja, a Shinto shrine in Hitoyoshi in Kumamoto prefecture, tells us the following:This information has some inconsistencies already. If our hero was born in 1807 and promoted to ōzeki at the age of 32, it should have been the year 1839, not 1847. I found Kumagatake Isuke at "Sumo Reference" website:Kuroki Matsujiro (黒木松次郎) was born in the village of Itsuki in Kuma district, Kumamoto prefecture, island of Kyushu in Bunka era, 4th year (1807). Since from his childhood he was blessed by great physique and tough strength. He had affection for sumo. At the age of 18 he became a sumo student of Kumamoto Shimakawa Ikuhei and took the name of Toyama Hidekichi (遠山日出吉). At the age of 23 (1830), he entered sumo stables in Kyoto, mastered the art of taming of young horses, and his talents improved. At the age of 31 he went to Edo, and became a disciple of the ōzeki Oitekaze Kitaro of Hirado domain in Hizen province, also from Kyushu island. After that, he changed his name and became Kuroyanagi Matsujiro (黒柳松次郎 – as on the print). In 1847 (Bunka era, 4th year) he distinguished himself by advancing to the first grade, and at the age of 32 he was promoted to ozeki level, becoming sekitori. After changing his name to Kuma-ga-take Inosuke (熊ヶ嶽猪之介 / くまがたけいのすけ) he displayed further efforts, and became one of the strongmen that fermented sumo wrestling in Edo. In 1853 (Kaei era, 6th year) he retired and returned to his village, becoming an employee as a strongman of Sagara domain (相良藩), and worked hard as instructor of the sumo training hall to train successors until 1855 (Ansei era, 2nd year) when he passed away at the age of 48. Even today Kuma-ga-take's home exists in Itsukimura (his native village). Also, on those grounds a descendant of Kuma-ga-take runs minshuku (guest house) that bears the name of "The Kuroki Pension (lodging) ", and tourists come to visit from various parts of Japan. In 2015, tenth month, within the borders of Aoi Aso Shrine there was built a gravestone publicly honoring Kuma-ga-take Inosuke, sumo wrestler from Edo / of Edo period.
The real name is the same, the ring name Kuroyanagi Matsujiro is the same, however, the date of birth here is 1815. He fought from 1836 till 1853 - which is quite similar to "At the age of 31 he went to Edo, and became a disciple of the ōzeki Oitekaze Kitaro". Though, in 1836 he might be 29 years old. His bouts are listed from spring 1841 to spring 1848 under the name of Kuroyanagi and from winter 1848 till spring 1853 he listed under the name of Kumagatake Isuke [Inosuke].Highest Rank Maegashira 4 Real Name Kuroki Birth Date 1815 Shusshin Kumamoto-ken, Kuma-gun Death Date March 6, 1855 (40 years) Heya Oitekaze Shikona Kuroyanagi Matsujiro - Kumagatake Isuke Hatsu Dohyo 1836.02 (Sandanme) Intai 1853.02 On another important sumo history website, I found that Kuroyanagi first appeared at ring in the spring of 1823 (he might have been 16 years old then, which does not seem right). Then, in the winter tournament of 1848 Kuroyanagi took the name Kumagatake. At the spring tournament of 1853 Kumagatake (Kuroyanagi) retired. This is quite consistent so far.
Then, I found Oitekaze Kitaro, allegedly the teacher of Kuroyanagi.
Everything look good with an exception of ring names (shikona): Kuroyanagi Matsujiro (1823-1828) - Kuroyanagi Sumiemon (1829-30) - Oitekaze Kitaro (1831-1839). May it be that Sato Matsutaro fought under the name of Kuroyanagi Matsujiro until Kuroki Matsujiro took this name from his master? I don't have another explanation of the enigma. What we know is that we have a portrait of a sumo wrestler called Kuroyanagi Matsujiro from Kyushu, but we don't know whether this was the one from Kumamoto (Kumagatake Inosuke, 1807/1815-1855) or the other from Kanagawa (Oitekaze Kitaro, 1799-1865). Subsequently, we may declare that the artist is Shunsai Eishō, a.k.a.Harukawa Eichō from Eishi school (The Hotei Encyclodepdia, p. 524), we can date the print from 1818 to 1844, and only tell that the wrestler is Kuroyanagi Matsujiro from Kyushu (either Kumagatake Inosuke or Oitekaze Kitaro). The publisher of the print is Moriya Jihei (Marks №353, p. 243-5). That's it.Highest Rank Ozeki Real Name SATO Matsujiro (Matsutaro#) Birth Date 1799 Shusshin Kanagawa-ken, Tsukui-gun Death Date May 4, 1865 (66 years) Heya Oitekaze Shikona Kuroyanagi Matsujiro - Kuroyanagi Sumiemon - Oitekaze Kitaro Hatsu Dohyo 1817.10 (Jonokuchi) Intai 1839.03 -
Hardcover volume, 8vo, 24.3 x 16.5 cm, bound in contemporary full marbled calf, spine with raised bands, gilt floral tools in compartments, gilt title lettering, marbled end-papers and all edges, printed on laid paper 23.9 x 5.5 cm with a watermark, entirely engraved (frontispiece, title, nine plates, and text), gatherings not indicated. Title-page (engraved, vignette, tall 's') LE | TEMPLE | DE | GNIDE | Nouvelle Edition, | Avec Figures | Gravées par N. LE MIRE, | des Acad. De Vienne en Autriche et de Rouen, | D’apres les Dessins de Ch. Eisen. | Le Texte Gravé par Droüet. | — | {3 lines quotation from Gallien} | A PARIS | Chez le Mire Graveur | Rue St. Etienne des Gres. | AVEC PRIVELEGE DU ROI. | 1772. || Frontispiece (engraved, vignette): Portrait medallion inscribed "CHARLES SECONDAT DE MONTESQUIEU — N. Le Mire del et sc", signed beneath "N. le Mire sculp 1771"; under the plate: "Dessiné par Ch. Eisen, et Gravé par N. le Mire." Pagination: frontispiece, t.p. / explication, dedication, [i] ii-vii [viii blank] 1-104 [105-6 blanks]; engraved throughout, plus 9 plates by Le Mire after Eisen.Catalogue Raisonné: Cohen-de Ricci 726-27; Ray, French Illustrated Book, №32/p. 61-2.Ref.: MFA (Boston): Accession Number 37.1726.Charles Eisen (French, 1720 – 1778) – artist. Noël Le Mire (French, 1724 – 1801) – engraver, publisher. Droüet (French, 18th century) – text engraver. Charles Louis de Secondat, Baron de La Brède et de Montesquieu (French, 1689 – 1755) – author.
