Caldwell Collection. Sotheby's 1994, №15.
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Iron tsuba of round form with design of lattice (kōshi-mon, 格子文) cut in openwork (sukashi), with low relief shallow linear carving along the bars. Well forged plate with brown-ish hue. To the right of nakago-ana there is a clear inscription of the character Shō (正), which is explained by Markus Sesko is follows: "The Shinsa obviously recognized more from the signature when having the tsuba in hand, i.e. they were confident to say it is signed "Shōami" but the rest is illegible (ika-fumei, 以下不明). That is, if they were just able to read the first character SHŌ (正) and saw that there were two more, most likely A (阿) and MI (弥), they would have put those character in boxes on the paper. Boxes around characters namely means that the character is not 100% legible but it can be assumed what it is." Momoyama or early Edo period. Dimensions: 85.9 mm diameter, 3.6 mm thickness at seppa-dai. Weight: 79 g. NBTHK certificate № 425069 with attestation: Hozon - "Worthy of preservation". A similar tsuba is presented at Japanese Sword Fittings from the R. B. Caldwell Collection. Sale LN4188 "HIGO". Sotheby's, 30th March 1994, №15. The description says: "A rare early Kamakura-bori tsuba. Nambokucho period (late 14th century). Of circular form, the dark plate carved and pierced with a gate design, the struts with double engraved lines. Unsigned. 8.5 cm." The lot was sold for 1,840 GBP.We have two possible explanations of the discrepancy between Sotheby's and Shinsa/Sesko attribution: 1) either Sotheby's or Shinsa/Sesko were wrong in their attribution or 2) these are two different pieces, one - Kamakura-bori from the 14th century and another - Shōami from 16th/17th century. Anyway, I would consider my piece as a Shōami tsuba of Momoyama - early Edo period, just for the sake of modesty. -
Ancient Greek glazed terracotta kylix (cup with a shallow bowl and a stem), ca. 350 BC. Dimensions: 14.4 x 11 cm The primary use for the kylix was drinking wine (usually mixed with water, and sometimes other flavourings) at a symposium or male "drinking party" in the ancient Greek world, so they are often decorated with scenes of a humorous, light-hearted, or sexual nature that would only become visible when the cup was drained. -
Heianjō tsuba, carved and inlayed in brass with a somewhat primitive design of rocks, plants, and waves, and a man in a boat beside two jakugo stone baskets on the face and a religious structure (stupa, grave stone) on the reverse. Muromachi or Momoyama period.Size: 83.2 x 82.4 x 3.6 mm; 149.2 g
The Carlo Monzino Collection of Japanese sword fittings and swords (Sotheby's, London, 18 June 1996. p. 12-13) №9 provides an illustration of the similar tsuba with the following description: Heianjo tsuba, carved and inlayed with rocks, plants, and waves, also pierced with a jakago [sic] (stone basket).
Gary D. Murtha in his Japanese sword guards Onin - Heianjo - Yoshiro (GDM Publications, 2016) on page 53 shows a look-a-like tsuba (though, with a kogai-hitsu-ana) with the follwoing description: Iron, 77 mm, tsuba with brass tree, snake, jakugo baskets, and curved brass pieces (representing water flowing over rocks). Buddhist halo to reverse. Although showing Onin traits, a Shoami Heiamjo attribution would fit better. Azuchi-Momoyama period.
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Iron tsuba of oval form decorated with design of jakago (bamboo lattice work) in openwork (sukashi). Copper sekigane.
Unsigned. Edo period.
Size: 73.7 x 70.3 x 5.6 mm.Note regarding design: though some might think that this piece belonged to a member of the lost tribe of Israel, it did not. Jakago baskets were made of bamboo, filled with rocks and used to catch crabs (besides other uses).
Jeanne Allen. Designer's Guide to Samurai Patterns. Chronicle Books, San Francisco, 1990; p.51, №57.
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Mikhail Belomlinsky. Born 1934, Russia. Village, dogs. Watercolor painting on paper from Chukotka expedition, 1975. Size: 36 x 48 cm. -
Netsuke with a design of a laughing peasant carrying a basket and holding a giant mushroom in his right hand.
18th century Dimensions: 55.7 mm tallUnsigned. According to Merrily Baird (Symbols of Japan, page. 93): ...Theis prominent use in the symbol-rich netsuke art form, however, reflects more their sexual symbolism than either their dietary appeal or interesting shapes. Mushrooms in Japan are generally a symbol of fertility, with some flat varieties, like shiitake, being associated with females. In contrast, the matsutake mushroom (Armillaria edodes) is a phallic symbol, as befits its thick, spearlike stem and the fact that it is consumed before cap opens.
Female Daruma Riding a Mushroom. Ippitsusai Bunchô. MFA impressions: 11.18513, 21.4758
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Quinze poèmes d'Emile Verhaeren. Illustrés de 57 gravures sur bois dessinées et gravées par Frans Masereel et suivis d'un 'Souvenir à Verhaeren' par Octave Uzanne. — Paris: Éditions Georges Crès, 1917. Authors: Emile Verhaeren (text), Frans Masereel (illustrations), Octave Uzanne (text). Publisher: Éditions Georges Crès. [Georges-Célestin Crès (1875 - 1935) was a French publisher and bookseller. Address: 116 boulevard Saint-Germain, Paris]. Printer: Sonor S.A. - Geneve, under the direction of Auguste Jordanis. The number of copies printed: 1555 of which 15 (1-15) on Japan paper, 190 (16-205) on Fabriano paper, and 1350 (206-1555) on English paper (1506-1555 not for trade). This copy № 1312. Pagination: [i] - front cover, [ii] - half-title, [iii] - title, [iv] - printrun justification, [v] - table of contents, [vi] - blank, [i-vii] viii-ciii, [civ] - printer statement, [cv] - back cover; one-side (recto) printing and pagination. Owner's contemporary red half-Morocco with marbled boards; spine with four raised bands, gilt lettering and design elements. Original printed paper wrappers preserved. Marbled endpapers. Trimmed unevenly. -
Comte de Tressan. L'évolution de la garde de sabre japonaise de la fin du XVe siècle au commencement du XVIIe (suite), 34 illustr. – pp. 7-35. // Bulletin de la Société Franco-Japonaise de Paris; №№ 19-20, Juin–Septembre 1910, 216 p. — Paris: Société Franco-Japonaise de Paris, Siège Social, 1910. Publisher's original green wrappers with black lettering: On top: Paraissant trimestriellement. | JUIN | SEPTEMBRE | } 1920 | XIX-XX | In the middle: BULLETIN | de la | Société Franco-Japonaise | de Paris | [—] Fondée le 16 Septembre 1900 | [device] | Bottom: Siège Social : | PALAIS DU LOUVRE — PAVILLON DE MARSAN | 107, RUE DE RIVOLI, 107 | Paris | 1910 | Prix : 4 fr 50 c || — Pp.: [4] [1-5] 6-216 [2 - errata / blank] [2 - imprim./ blank] [6]. Size: 27 x 17.5 cm. -
Title: THE | WORKS | OF THE FAMOUS | Nicholas Machiavel, | CITIZEN and SECRETARY | OF | FLORENCE. |—| WRITTEN | Originally in ITALIAN, and from thence newly | and faithfully Tranſlated into ENGLISH. |—|[ornament]|—| LONDON, | Printed for John Starkey, Charles Harper, and John | Amery, at the Miter, the Flower-de-Luce, and the | Peacock, in Fleetstreet. 1680. Content: (1) The history of Florence; (2) The Prince; (3) The Original of the Guelf and Ghibilin Factions; (4) The Life of Castruccio Castracani; (5) The Murther of Vitelli, etc. by Duke Valentino; (6) The State of France; (7) The State of Germany; (8) The Discourses on Titus Livius; (9) The Art of War; (10) The Marriage of Belphegor, a Novel; (11) Nicholas Machiavel's Letter in Vindication of Himself and His Writings. Pagination: ffl, 24 unnumbered pages before the first numbered: [2] – tp / license], [2] – contents / blank], [2] ftp “Florence” / blank, [3] – epistle to Clement VII, [3] – introduction, [12] – table; Misnumbering (X instead of Y format – X/Y): History of Florence: 1- 28/24, 19/91, 198/98, 180/108, 190/109, 174/164, 175/ 165, 179/169, 180/170, 185/175, 186/176, 188/178, 189/179, [190/180 blank]; The Prince, Lucca, State of France: [4] 199-262; State of Germany: 256/263, 266/264, 267/265 [268/266]; Discourses: [4] 267-314, 317-431 [432]; Art of War: [4] 433-528; [4] – publisher, [12] –Machiavelli’s letter, bfl. Collation: π3 Aa3 b-d2 B-Z4 Aa-Bb2 Cc-Zz4 Aaa-Yyy4 (*)-(**)4 Binding: Original mottled leather boards with embossing, later leather spine with 5 raised bands, crimson label with gilt lettering. Size: 32.4 x 21.0 x 4.0 cm Provenance: Bradford H. Gray This is the second edition; despite misnumbering, the collation is correct and all pages present. The first edition of this book was published in 1675 by Robert Bolter (British, fl. 1666 – 1683). -
Title-page in black and red: LE | SOPHA, | CONTE MORAL. | NOUVELLE EDITION. | PREMIERE PARTIE. | {vignette} | A PEKIN, | Chez l'imprimeur de l'Empereur, | 1749. || Pagination: Two volumes in one. [2] – blanks, [2] – blank / frontis., [i, ii] – t.p. / blank, [iii] iv-xxi [xxii] ; [1] 2-253, [254-256] – table / blank, [2] – blanks; [i, ii] f.t. (seconde partie). [iii] 4-237 [238-240] – table / blank, [2] – blanks ; ills. 1 frontispiece, 4 plates and 2 vignettes by Pelletier after Clavereau, 2 fleurons by Fessard after Cochin. Collation: 12mo; a12, A8B4–T8V4, X8 [*1]; A8B4–T8V4. Binding: Full mottled calf, flat spine, compartments double-ruled in gilt, gilt flowers and foliage in compartments, crimson title label; marbled endpapers. Printed on laid paper, watermarked. Size: 14.8 x 8.8 cm Catalogue raisonné: Cohen, de Ricci (266); J. Lewine (124-5). -
Казанова Д. Истрия моей жизни. — М.: Моск. рабочий, 1991. — 734 с. Составление, вступительная статья, комментарии А. Ф. Строева. Перевод И. К. Стаф, А. Ф. Строева, 1990. ISBN: 5—239—00590—7 Original title: Giacomo Casanova. Histoire de ma vie. -
A CATALOGUE OF AN EXHIBITION | OF | The Philip Hofer Bequest | IN THE DEPARTMENT OF | PRINTING AND GRAPHIC ARTS | {white in crimson cartouche The | Philip Hofer | Collection | in the | Houghton | Library} | HARVARD COLLEGE LIBRARY | CAMBRIDGE, MASSACHUSETTS | 1988 || Printed by Meriden-Stinehour Press; Roderick Douglas [Rocky] Stinehour (American, 1925 – 2016) and his son Stephen Stinehour, The Stinehour Press in Lunenburg, Vermont. The Meriden Gravure Company in Meriden, Connecticut, was founded in 1888 by Charles Parker and James F. Allen. In 1977, the Meriden merged with the Stinehour Press, and in 1989, the Meriden operations were closed and the Meriden Gravure presses moved to the Vermont location. Pagination: [i-vi] – incl. h.t., t.p., f.t., vii-xiv, [1] 2-218, 100 plates, within pagination, incl. bibliography, index. Binding: Original grey paper wrappers with title printed in red and white. -
Hardcover, 21.5 x 13.5 cm, pictorial boards, [1-4] 5-412 [2] [2]. Print run 3,000. Translation from German of the original {Siegfried Krakauer. Jacques Offenbach und das Paris seiner Zeit. — Amsterdam: Allert de Lange, 1937} by Serafima Shlapoberskaya – Шлапоберская, Серафима Евгеньевна (Russian, 1921 – 2007). -
Title page: Луи-Себастьен | МЕРСЬЕ | ГОД | ДВЕ ТЫСЯЧИ | ЧЕТЫРЕСТА СОРОКОВОЙ | СОН, КОТОРОГО, ВОЗМОЖНО, И НЕ БЫЛО | {device} | ИЗДАНИЕ ПОДГОТОВИЛИ | А. Л. АНДРЕС, П. Р. ЗАБОРОВ | ИЗДАТЕЛЬСТВО «НАУКА» | ЛЕНИНГРАДСКОЕ ОТДЕЛЕНИЕ | ЛЕНИНГРАД | 1977 || Frontispiece: Louis-Sébastien | MERCIER | L'AN | DEUX MILLE | QUATRE CENT QUARANTE | RÊVE, S'IL EN FUT JAMAIS | {device} || Pagination: [1-5] 6-240, 3 leaves of plates extraneous to collation. Collation: 8vo; [1]8 2-158. Binding: Hardcover, serial design green buckram with gilt lettering on an embossed scroll to front cover, gilt lettering to spine. 23 x 18 cm. Series: АН СССР, Литературные памятники. Autor: Louis-Sébastien Mercier (French, – Translator: Александра Львовна [Лейбовна] Андрес (Russian, 1907 – 1991). -
Title page: L'AN DEUX MILLE QUATRE CENT QUARANTE. | Rêve s'il en fût jamais. | Le temps présent est gros de l'avenir... | Leibnitz. | {letterpress device} | A LONDRES. | MD CCLXXII. || Pagination: [i-iv] v-xii, 1-402 [2]; Collation: 8vo; π6 A-Z8 Aa-Bb8 Cc2. Binding: 19 x 12 cm, full mottled calf, rebacked, spine with gilt-lettered red label, compartments ruled gilt, with gilt fleuron ornament, marbled endpapers and all edges; printed on laid paper, with tall “s”. Probably published in Paris, anonymously. Handwritten nut-ink inscription to the title "Par Mercier". See also: LIB-0979.2016 -
Title: АННА КОМНИНА | АЛЕКСИАДА | Перевод, комментарий и статьи | Я. Н. Любарского | Издание третье, исправленное и дополненное | Санкт-Петербург | АЛЕТЕЙЯ | 2010 || Series: Византийская библиотека. Источники. Pagination: [i-v] vi-lxvi [1] 2-682 [4]. Binding: 21.5 x 15 cm; hardcover, crimson buckram, gilt lettering, border and serial device on black. Edition: 3rd edition. Print run: 1,000 copies. ISBN: 978-5-91419-301-7. Anna Komnene [Άννα Κομνηνή; Anna Comnena] (Byzantine, 1083 – 1150s). Любарский, Яков Николаевич (Russian, 1929 – 2003) -
Title: ПОЭЗИЯ И ПРОЗА | ДРЕВНЕГО ВОСТОКА | [blank] | {Publisher’s device “ИХЛ”} | ИЗДАТЕЛЬСТВО | «ХУДОЖЕСТВЕННАЯ ЛИТЕРАТУРА» | МОСКВА • 1973 || Pagination: [1-4] 5-734 [2], ils. Collation: 16mo; [1]16 2-2316, 16 illustr. extraneous to collation. «О все видавшем» со слов Син-Леке-Уннинни, заклинателя – перевод И. Дьяконова : стр. 166-220: Эпос о Гильгамеше. Print run: 303,000 copies. Binding: Uniform serial binding, yellow cloth with the gilt series device to front cover, gilt lettering to spine; pictorial dust jacket. Size: 20.5 x 15 cm -
Front wrapper: In the three-compartment orange frame: 1st compartment: HISTOIRE DES DOCTRINES SOCIALISTES | *** (LES IDÉES ET LES FAITS) *** | 2nd compartment: BLANQUI | PAR | Maurice DOMMANGET | {circular device} | 3rd compartment: *** 1924 *** | LIBRAIRIE DE L'HUMANITÉ | 120 • RUE LAFAYETTE • 120 PARIS | Under the frame : Prix : 2 fr. 50 || Title page: HISTOIRE DES DOCTRINES SOCIALISTES | *** (LES IDÉES ET LES FAITS) *** | BLANQUI | PAR Maurice DOMMANGET | {device in a circle} | *** 1924 *** | LIBRAIRIE DE L'HUMANITÉ | 120 • RUE LAFAYETTE • 120 PARIS || Back wrapper: Advert. in an orange frame. Pagination: wrappers included in pagination ; [1-5] 6-95 [96-98] (total 49 leaves incl. wrappers). Collation: wrappers not included in collation: [1]-68. Binding: 18.5 x 12 cm; publisher’s blue wrappers with an orange frame, black lettering to covers and spine; uncut. Russian translation: LIB-2747.2021
