/Collection
  • Large and thin iron tsuba of round form (width > height) decorated with the design of a tiger sheltering in bamboo in suemon-zōgan brass inlay. A fragment of tail inlay is missing. Bamboo leaves on the reverse. According to Merrily Baird [Symbols, p. 166], tiger sheltering in bamboo symbolizes "weak giving shelter to the strong". Momoyama period. Unsigned. Dimensions: 90.8 x 91.2 x 3.4 (center), 3.1 (rim) mm. Custom wooden box. NBTHK Certificate № 4001593.
  • Katsukawa Shunshō ( 勝川 春章; 1726 – 19 January 1793).

    Signed: Katsukawa Shunshô ga (勝川春章画).

    The size is somewhat larger than the standard pillar print (hashira-e): 16.3 x 67.7 cm.

    No references found so far.

  • Pre-Columbian, South Coast of Peru, Nazca, ca. 400 - 600 CE. Polychrome double-spout, or stir-up vessel (jar, or bottle), decorated on both sides with designs of masked Mythical Spotted Cat (or the Cat Deity) with a trophy head. Colors: Black, Cream, Gray, Orange, White, Dark Red, Light Red (8 colors).

    Size: 17.2 x 14 cm.

    References:
    1. A Sourcebook of Nasca Ceramic Iconography: Reading a Culture through Its Art. Donald A. Proulx. University of Iowa Press, 2006; pp. 88-91. [LIB-1556].
    2. The Archaeology and Pottery of Nazca, Peru: Alfred Kroeber’s 1926 Expedition. Alfred L. Kroeber and Donald Collier, edited by Patrick H. Carmichael with an afterword by Katharina J. Schreiber. AltaMira Press in coop. with Field Museum, Chicago, Il., 1998; p.121. [LIB-1557].

    Ex Arte Xibalba, Florida; Ex Robert Dowling Gallery, San Francisco, CA.

  • Small iron tsuba (tantō size) of oval form carved with imitation of six overlapping plates, decorated with paulownia blossoms, leaves, and tendrils in brass and copper hira-zōgan. Copper sekigane. Open kozuka hitsu-ana.

    Early Edo period, 17th century.

    Size: 50.5 x 34.0 x 4.9 mm.

  • Шарль Монтескье. Храм Книдийский (пер. Иван Сичкарев). Лисимах. Разговор Суллы с Эвкратом. Опыт о вкусе (пер. Семён Башилов). — СПб.: [Тип. Акад. наук], 1770. Pagination: [2 blank] [2 t.p. храм, blank] [4 preface] [1] 2-72, [1, 2 t.p. лисимах, blank] [1] 2-12 [13, 14 t.p. силла] 16-33, [34 blank] [35, 37 t.p. опыт, blank] 38-95 [96 errata] [2 blank]. Size: 12mo, 20 x 12.5 cm, Binding: Contemporary polished brown slightly stained calf, gilt-ruled borders, flat spine with gilt bands and tools in compartments, black title label with gilt lettering to spine, marbled end-papers. Inscriptions and marks: Ink hand-writing to ff: "Люб. Дубенская, Москва XII 1931"; "Ленкнигторг" label glued to the recto of back free leaf; "Антикварная торговля В. И. Клочкова. СПБ., Литейный 55" label pasted to back pastedown. Printed on laid paper with "key" image printed on recto and protruding to the verso to t.p. of Храм Книдийский and Лисимах. Imperial orthography. Engraved head and tailpieces.
  • Charges sur le Communisme, le socialisme et sur les idées de ce genre par les dessinateurs du Charivari. Binding: original cardboard. Catalogue raisonée: Hazard & Delteil 1904 / Catalogue raisonné de l'oeuvre lithographié de Honoré Daumier [LIB-2176.2019 in this collection], p. 267: 20 illustrations by Daumier, Cham, Vernier, Ed. de Beaumont. Sticker: Vendu par Francois, Grande-Rue №33, à Rouen. Bought in Paris, seller claimed 1848, first edition. Similar title here : #31. Charges sur le communisme Le socialisme et sur les idées de ce genre par les dessinateurs. Paris, Chez Aubert & Cie., Éditeurs du Journal pour rire, sans date (vers 1865). Relié, plein cartonnage vert décoré et illustré de l'éditeur, in-folio (34,5 x 26 cm) de 20 planches lithographiées. 250 €. Caricatures par Cham (11), Gustave Janet (1), ADC (1), sans nom (3), Daumier (1), Lorentz-Jean-Paul Laurens (3). Nous trouvons pour ce même cartonnage des recueils différents à diverses périodes ; le nôtre doit dater des années 1865-67, moment où Jean-Pierre Laurens fut condamné par la justice du Second Empire pour son anticléricalisme.  
  • A two-volume set. Vol. 1: LA | HENRIADE, | NOUVELLE ÉDITION | A PARIS | [medallion portrait of Voltaire] | Chez la Veuve Duchesne, Saillant, Desaint, | Panckoucke et Nyon, Libraires. || Pagination: [2] – engraved title with medallion portrait of Voltaire / blank, [i-iii] iv-xl, [1-3] 4-272, 10 plates and 10 vignettes after Eisen by de Longueil. Collation: 8vo; a-b8 c4, A-R8 Vol. 2: LA | HENRIADE, | NOUVELLE ÉDITION. | — | SECONDE PARTIE. |— | [Floral device] | A PARIS, | Chez la Veuve Duchesne, Saillant, Desaint, | Panckoucke et Nyon, Libraires. | — | M. DCC. LXX. Pagination: [1, 2] - t.p. / imprim., 3-316 [4 - table, imprint "De l'Imprimerie de Barbou."] Collation: A-V8. Binding: full brown calf, raised bands with the gilt floral tools in compartments, red and dark brown labels with gilt lettering: title, author, vol. number, and year; printed on laid paper. Wear, marks and rubbing, endpapers, corners and spine repaired/replaced; leaves are generally clean with the odd mark here or there. With frontispiece, 10 vignettes and 10 plates in vol. 1 as called for. Size: 19 x 12.5 cm each volume. Catalogue raisonné.: G. Ray, p. 59; Cohen-de Ricci p. 1026. LIB-2581-1.2020 and LIB-2581-2.2020.
    Illustrated by: Charles Eisen (French, 1720 – 1778) Engraved by: Joseph de Longueil (French, 1730 – 1792) Author: François Marie Arouet de Voltaire (French, 1694 – 1778) Publisher: Veuve Duchesne (Nicolas Bonaventure Duchesne died in 1765) Printer: Joseph Gérard Barbou (French, 1723 – 1790)
  • Amber-glazed marbled pottery tripod censer, standing on unglazed beast's paws. The clay itself is not marbled, only the glaze. China, the Tang dynasty [唐朝] (618 – 907). Diameter: 16 cm; Height: 14 cm.
  • Seller's description: "pottery jar presenting a circular, concave base, an apple-form body, a cylindrical neck, and an annular flared rim. Boasting a lustrous burnish, the gorgeous vessel displays three narrow vertical panels in a hue of cream over mottled shades of chocolate brown and mocha on its body and a caramel-coloured neck and rim. The discoid lid features a lovely natural woodgrain surface incised with three decorative concentric circles around a petite knob-like handle. Note the beautiful globules of glaze that decorate the periphery of the base! This type of vessel is known as Seto ware." Size: Dia: 13 cm, H: 14 cm.
  • Title: GESCHICHTEN | AUS | ARETINO | MIT FÜNFZEHN BILDERN | VON | CHOISI-NÉRAC | NICHT IM HANDEL | GEDRUCKT FÜR HEINRICH CONRAD | UND SEINE FREUNDE | SIENA 1907 || Collation: 8vo; 1-128 137; frontispiece, t.p. and 14 plates, extraneous to collation. Pagination: [2] f.t. / blank, 3-203 [2], il. Binding: Full cream vellum, ruled with gilt double-fillet, grey label with gilt lettering to spine. Bookplate by von Bayros Par Avi Cigno to front pastedown. Note: Private edition of Aretino's Ragionamenti in German as Geschichten aus Aretino by translater and publisher Heinrich Conrad (German, 1866 – 1918), whose real name was Hugo Storm, this copy №394, illustrated by Franz von Bayros (Austrian, 1866 –  of Choisi-Nérac.  
  • Title (black and red): М. С. ЛУНИН | — | ПИСЬМА ИЗ СИБИРИ | — | Издание подготовили | И. А. Желвакова и Н. Я Эйдельман | МОСКВА | «НАУКА» | 1987 || Pagination: [1, 2] Serial h.t. / blank, [3, 4] t.p. / imprint, [5] 6-492 [4], 1 portrait and 8 leaves of plates. Collation: 16mo; [1]16 216 38 (plates), 4-1716. Binding: serial green buckram blind-stamped with a scroll adorned with gold lettering to board and spine.
  • Pagination: [2] – letterpress title / blank, t.p. with contents / to readers, [1] 2-376 + 7 b/w and 16 coloured plates (total 23); this differs to Abbey’s description of 372 pages + 4 pages index, and 41 plates (lacking 18 plates). In No 73 lacking 3 plates: Quadrant Regent st., Morning dress and Full dress. In No 74 lacking 5 plates: Charles str., Brienz, head dresses, full dress, and muslin patterns. In No 75 lacking 5 plates: 4 with bank notes and Castle of Rinkenberg. In No 76 lacking 1 plate: Cavern St. Beat. In No 77 lacking 2 plates: Wetzar and Lake Thun. In No 78 lacking 2 plates: Crescent at Portland Place and Environs of Thun. Collation: 4to; letterpress title, [A]1 B-Z4 Aa-Zz4 3A-3C4 3D2. Binding: 23.5 x 15.5 cm; double fillet blind-ruled half-calf over pebbled cloth boards, raised bands ruled blind, crimson label with gilt lettering to spine. 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. 174 [LIB-2622.2021].
  • Title (in black and red): АНРИ РОШФОР | ПРИКЛЮЧЕНИЯ МОЕЙ ЖИЗНИ | ПЕРЕВОД, ВСТУПИТЕЛЬНАЯ | СТАТЬЯ И ПРИМЕЧАНИЯ | Е. СМИРНОВА | ACADEMIA | 1933 || Opposite title: ИНОСТРАННЫЕ МЕМУАРЫ, ДНЕВНИКИ, | ПИСЬМА И МАТЕРИАЛЫ | Под редакцией И. Т. Смилги ( whited-out) | АНРИ РОШФОР | 1831—1913 | ACADEMIA | МОСКВА — ЛЕНИНГРАД || Title verso: Henri Rochefort | Les Aventures de ma vie. | Переплет и суперобложка | по рисункам М. В. Ушакова-Поскочина. Pagination: [1, 2] – publisher’s device / blank, [3, 4] – opposite title, [5, 6] – t.p. / orig. title, 7-452 [453-460], ill. Collation: [1]-288 296 + 15 plates extraneous to collation. Binding: burgundy cloth ruled blind and stamped in gilt with a lantern to cover and lettering to spine, pictorial DJ; top margin red. Catalogue raisonné: Крылов, Е. В. Кичатова. "Academia" (2004): p. 237-8. Ушаков [Ушаков-Поскочин], Максим Владимирович (Russian, 1893 – 1943) – died in NKVD labor camp. Смилга, Ивар Тенисович (Latvian-Russian, 1892 – 1937) — shot dead by NKVD firing squad.  
  • Half-titleÜBERREICHT VON | GILHOFER UND RANSCHBURG | SORTIMENT–, BÜCHER– UND KUNST– | ANTIQUARIAT | WIEN 1, BOGNERGASSE 2 || Title: Red letterpress lettering in black ornamental frame: Insel- | Almanach | auf das Jahr | 1907 || Pagination: [6] – h.t., frontis., title; [1-16] 17-150 [2], + 2 folding plates (op. p. 30 and 32), and 2 plates op. p. 50 (Franz von Bayros "Francine" for Die Bohème by Henri Murger) and 112 (colour). Binding: 17.3 x 9.9 cm;  original olive paper wrappers with gilt lettering and elements to cover, lettering to spine. Catalogue raisonné: Heinz Sarkowski (1999): № 1986, pp. 329-30, with contents. Contributors: Gilhofer und Ranschburg – antiquarian bookstore in Vienna. Schröder, Rudolf Alexander (German, 1878 – 1962) – title and cover. Wieynk, Heinrich (German, 1874 – 1931) – typeset. Kippenberg, Anton Hermann Friedrich (German, 1874 – 1950) – editor. Brandstetter, Oscar (German, 1844 – ?) – printer.
  • Front cover: И. ТРОЦКИЙ | ЖИЗНЬ | ШЕРВУДА | ВЕРНОГО | ИЗДАТЕЛЬСТВО | ПОЛИТКАТОРЖАН | 19 • МОСКВА • 31 || Title page: И. М. ТРОЦКИЙ | ЖИЗНЬ | ШЕРВУДА – ВЕРНОГО | (ОЧЕРКИ И МАТЕРИАЛЫ) | ИЗДАТЕЛЬСТВО ВСЕСОЮЗНОГО ОБЩЕСТВА ПОЛИТКАТОРЖАН И ССЫЛЬНО-ПОСЕЛЕНЦЕВ |1 9  МОСКВА  3 1 || Pagination: [1-4] 5-277 [3]. Collation: 8vo;  [1]8 2-178, 184. Binding: Quarter burgundy cloth, paper over cardboard. Library ‘pocket’ to front pastedown. Inscriptions and marks: Inscription to t.p. in purple ink: «323.2/П76»; stamp in purple ink “193” and “3” handwritten; black in stamp “1935”; purple ink oval stamp: «БИБЛИОТЕКА * МОСК. ХУДОЖ. ТЕАТРА *», inside handwritten: 3703; same stamp at p. 278. Print run: 5,000 copies. Contributor: Исаак Моисеевич Троцкий (Russian-Jewish, 1903 – 1937) – author of the text.
  • Small amber-glazed marbled (Jiaotai) pottery tripod censer. Inside the glaze is monochrome because the clay itself is not marbled. Spur marks on the bottom. Small chip on a lip. China, Henan province, the Tang dynasty [唐朝] (618 – 907). Diameter: 6.3 cm; Height: 5.5 cm.
  • Title: A SENTIMENTAL | JOURNEY | THROUGH FRANCE AND ITALY | BY | LAURENCE STERNE | ILLUSTRATED BY | MAHLON BLAINE | {vignette} | Illustrated library | HALCYON HOUSE | GARDEN CITY, NEW YORK || Pagination: [1-6] – first leaf blank, h.t., t.p., 7-192, total 192 pages; frontispiece plus 4 plates within collation, and a headpiece, all photomechanical reproductions of Mahlon Blaine’s pen drawings. Binding: 20.5 x 14 cm, off-white pictorial paper boards decorated with black ivy-clad pink lattice, black lettering in a pink frame to spine, pink pictorial dust jacket with spine sunned to beige. Contributors: Sterne, Laurence (British-Irish, 1713 – 1768) – author of the text. Blaine, Mahlon (American, 1894 – 1969) – illustrator (pseudonym: G. Christopher Hudson). The Illustrated library series was started by Halcyon House, a reprint division of Doubleday Publishers, in 1950. This edition of Sterne with Blaine’s illustrations is a reprint of the same, published by Three Sirens Press of New York in 1930. Blaine's illustrations of this kind are pen drawings, not wood engravings.
  • Title page: The Art of the | French Illustrated Book | 1700 to 1914 | VOLUME I (II) | Gordon N. Ray | The Pierpont Morgan Library | Cornell University Press || Pagination: vol.1: [8] ix-xxxii, [2] 3-245 [3], illustr.; vol.2: [8] 247-557 [5], illustr. Both volumes paginater through out. Binding: 30.5 x 23.5 cm, two volumes uniformly bound in red cloth, gilt vignette to front cover, gilt lettering to spine; bookplate to front pastedown, ex-lib (Sweet Briar College Library) Contributors: Ray, Gordon Norton (American, 1915 – 1986) – author. Lange, Thomas V. – formal bibliographical description. Passela, Charles V. – photography. The Pierpont Morgan Library – Copyright © 1982
  • Title: PROCESSES OF | GRAPHIC REPRODUCTION | IN PRINTING | BY | HAROLD CURWEN | [space] | NEW YORK | OXFORD UNIVERSITY PRESS | 1934 || Pagination: [i-vii] viii-xvi [6] [1-3] 4-142 [2], ills. Collation: 8vo; π3 [A]8 B-K8, 14 plates extraneous to collation, in-text illustrations. Binding: 22.5 x 15.5 cm, dark-blue cloth, remnants of gilt lettering to spine. Edition: 2nd (after the 1st published by Faber and Faber in London, printed by The Curwen Press in Plaistow, the same year, 1934 – [LIB-2840.2021]). Contributors: Harold Curwen (British, 1885 – 1949), grandson of John Curwen (British, 1816 – 1880) The Curwen Press (Plaistow, London) – printer.  
  • Catalogue of the exhibition held in The Metropolitan Museum of Art in NY from October 21, 2003, to January 11, 2004. Pagination: [i-vi] vii-xviii, [2]3-390, ils. Binding: 29 x 24 cm, grey cloth, gilt lettering to spine, pictorial dust jacket.
  • Binding: Pink French flapped wrappers 38.5 x 29 cm, in a frame: LES JEUX | DU DEMI-JOUR | PAR | PIERRE MAC ORLAN | {vignette} | AVEC | DOUZE LITHOGRAPHIES DE | VERTÈS | LES ARTS ET LE LIVRE || Title-page (turquoise and black): LES JEUX | DU DEMI-JOUR | PAR | PIERRE MAC ORLAN | {vignette} | AVEC | DOUZE LITHOGRAPHIES DE | VERTÈS | LES ARTS ET LE LIVRE | 47, RUE LAFFITTE, PARIS | | 1926 || Pagination: [2] blank, [2] h.t. / limitation, [2] t.p. / blank, i-iii [iv] 1-45 [46 blank] [2] table / colophon, [2] blank; total 60 pages, plus 12 plates extraneous to collation, by Marcel Vertès. Edition: text printed by Robert Coulouma in Argenteuil (director H. Barthélemy), lithographs printed by Edouard Duchâtel in Paris, print run of 600 copies, 500 on vélin pur fil Lafuma, this copy on that paper, though unnumbered (№ blank). Contributors: Pierre Mac-Orlan (French, 1882 – 1970) – author. Marcel Vertès [Marcell Vértes] (Jewish-Hungarian-French, 1895 – 1961) – artist. Other names: Marcel Vertès, Marcel Vertes, Marcell Vértes
  • Ink drawing on watermarked paper by an anonymous artist, British or American. Original pen and ink with manuscript text. About 7 x 10-1/2 inches, Vander Ley type watermark (Churchill 321), mounted to old laid paper; several corners chipped, some creasing, soiling, etc. Np, Late 18th-century.
  • Description: 24.4 x 15.9 cm, softcover in-8vo, light-green publisher's wrappers, lettered in black to both covers and and spine; bookplate pasted to verso of the front wrapper: “LE GÉNIE DE LA GRAVURE | CONSOLE LE GÉNIE DU DESSIN | {vignette} | BIBLIOTHÈQUE DE CLAUDETTE HOULD || Title-page: ÉCOLE PRATIQUE DES HAUTES ÉTUDES — IVe SECTION | Sciences historiques et philologiques | — | VI | HISTOIRE ET CIVILISATION DU LIVRE | 18 | CHRISTIAN MICHEL | CHARLES-NICOLAS COCHIN | ET LE LIVRE ILLUSTRÉ | AU XVIIIe SIÈCLE | Avec un catalogue raisonné des | livres illustrés par Cochin | 1735-1790 | Ouvrage publié avec le concours du Centre national | de la Recherche scientifique | {device} | GENÈVE | LIBRAIRIE DROZ | 11, rue Massot | 1987 ||; front wrapper also has in the bottom: Librairie CHAMPION, 7 quai Malaquais – Paris || Collation: 8vo; [1]-258, 26 leaves of plates (fig. 1-169) extraneous to collation, 26+[27]14 288; plates: unpaginated photo reproduction of Cochin’s 169 drawings and engravings; quire 27 unsigned, together with quire 26 makes 14 leaves. Pagination: [i-vii] viii-x, [1] 2-431 [423 colophon] [2 blank], 26 leaves of plates. Provenance: Claudette Hould, Montréal, Quebec, Canada, spécialiste d’histoire de l’art français. Ref.: British Museum. Publisher: Droz Charles-Nicolas Cochin (French, 1715 – 1790) See Cochin's illustrated books in this collection: LIB-2941.2021LIB-2766.2021LIB-2640.2021LIB-2529.2020.
  • Description: Three volumes, 17 x 14 cm each, uniformly bound in quarter crimson morocco over marbled boards, spine with raised bands tooled gilt with gilt lettering and fleuron, marbled endpapers, publisher’s wrappers preserved (moire-waffle in light pink (vol. 1), cream (vol. 2) and blue (vol. 3), engraved), printed on wove paper, outer and bottom margin untrimmed, illustrated with etched/aquatint front wrapper, frontispiece, tail- and headpieces, and full-page plates in sepia, presumably after Zyg Brunner. Title-page (red and black): LE DIABLE | AU | CORPS | ŒUVRE POSTHUME | DU TRÈS RECOMMANDABLE DOCTEUR | CAZZONÉ | (ANDRÉA DE NERCIAT) | Membre extraordinaire de la joyeuse Faculté | phallo-coîro-pygo-glottonomique | TOME PREMIER (DEUXIÈME; TROISIÈME) | ALENÇON | 1930 || Vol. 1: front wrapper, blank leaf, h.t./limitation, t.p., [1] 2-180, 2 blank leaves, back wrapper; frontispiece, 7 full-page plates (incl. frontispiece), and 13 tail- and headpieces. Vol. 2: front wrapper, blank leaf, h.t./limitation, t.p., [1] 2-193 [194 blank], blank leaf, back wrapper; 8 full-page plates (incl. frontispiece), and 12 tail- and headpieces. Vol. 3: front wrapper, blank leaf, h.t./limitation, t.p., [1] 2-180 [181 colophon], [182 blank], blank leaf, back wrapper; frontispiece, 8 full-page plates (incl. frontispiece), and 13 tail- and headpieces. Limitation: 30 copies (№ 1-30) on Japon Impérial, 300 copies (№ 31-331) on Vélin d’Arches. This copy is № 109. Colophon: Printed on May 25, 1930, 350 copies on Vélin d’Arches with numbers from 31 to 380 [sic!] Catalogue raisonné: Dutel (1920-1970) № 1394, p. 129. Contributors: André-Robert Andréa de Nerciat (French, 1739 – 1800) – author. Zyg [Zygismund; Sigismond Leopold] Brunner (Polish, 1878 – 1961) – artist.
  • Description: One volume, 27 x 21 cm, collated 4to, bound in ¾ red morocco over marbled boards, raised bands, gilt in compartments, gilt lettering to spine, marbled endpapers, publisher’s wrappers and spine preserved, T.E.G. Title-page: ALFRED MACHARD | – | PRINTEMPS | SEXUELS… | L'EPOPEE AU FAUBOURG‎ | Des anges ? Non. | Des petit d’hommes… | LITHOGRAPHIES DE | JEAN AUSCHER | PARIS | ‎ÉDITIONS M.-P. TRÉMOIS | 43, AVENUE RAPP | – | 1928 || Collation: 1st blank, front wrapper, 3 blanks, π5 (h.t./limitation, t.p./copyright, dedication, Freud, Rimbaud), 1-214, 2 blanks, back wrapper, spine, last blank; total 94 leaves between the wrappers, and 10 plates extraneous to collation, incl. frontispiece – chromolithographs by Jean Auscher. Pagination: [6 blanks] [1-10] 11-175 [176] [2 colophon] [4 blanks], total 178 pages, ils. Limitation: Print run limited to 352 copies, one № 0 unique on Japon paper, enriched; one № 00 on Japon paper, enriched; 15 copies marked A-O on Japon paper, enriched; 35 copies on Hollande Van Gelder, enriched with one suite in black, № I-XXXV; 300 copies on vélin d’Arches, № 1-300, of which this copy is № 127. Colophon: Printed on April 20, 1928; text by Coulouma (Argenteuil), plates by Mourlot Frères (Paris). Contributors: Alfred Machard (French, 1887 – 1962) –author. Jean Auscher (French, 1896 – c. 1950) – artist.
  • One volume 24.2 x 16.2 x 5.2 cm, in black cloth lettered in gilt to front cover and spine, pp.: i-vii] viii-xxxix [xl blank] [2] 3-572 [2], total 307 leaves, with b/w illustrations. Title-page: KABUKI | ENCYCLOPEDIA | An English-Language | Adaptation of | KABUKI JITEN | SAMUEL L. LEITER | {publisher’s device “GP”} | GREENWOOD PRESS | WESTPORT, CONNECTICUT • LONDON, ENGLAND || Author: Samuel L. Leiter (American, b. 1940)
  • Softcover, in black pictorial flapped wrappers, 28 x 21.8 cm, 16 entries, with colour illustrations. Catalogue # 8 of the sales exhibition on March 23-30 2004 in NY; pagination: [1-3] 4-50 [2], ils., some folding. Front cover: gilt on a black background: Japanese Sword Fittings | from the | Alexander G. Moslé | Collection | {vignette ‘tsuba with shishi lion} || Contributor: Sebastian Izzard
  • Description: One volume 22.8 x 25.4 cm, in contemporary gilt-ruled brown half morocco over green buckram boards, spine with raised bands, gilt in compartments, lettered in gilt, marbled endpapers, all edges marbled, printed in sanguine; pp. [6] [1-3] 4-234 [4], 36 blank leaves ruled red, 12 blank leaves; total 170 leaves; 35 mounted marbled paper samples on 10 sheets. Title-page: THE PROGRESS | OF THE MARBLING ART | FROM | TECHNICAL SCIENTIFIC PRINCIPLES | BY JOSEF HALFER | WITH A SUPPLEMENT ON THE | DECORATION OF BOOK EDGES | Translated by Herman Dieck, Philadelphia {gothic} | BUFFALO, N. Y. | LOUIS H. KINDER | 1893 || Edition: 1st American edition (and first edition in English) after two editions in Budapest (Austro-Hungary) in 1884 and 1890. Contributors: Josef Halfer (Austrian, 1846 – 1916) – author. Herman Dieck (American, fl. 1883 – 1896) – translator. Louis H. Kinder (American, 1867 – 1938) – publisher.  
  • Artist: Utagawa Sadahide [歌川 貞秀], a.k.a. Gountei Sadahide [五雲亭 貞秀] (1807 – c. 1878/9). Signed: Gountei Sadahide ga [五雲亭貞秀画] Pubisher: Ibaya Senzaburō [伊場屋仙三郎] (Japanese, 1815 – 1869) Date-aratame seal: Bunsei 13 / Tenpō 1 (1830). Ref: Ritsumeikan University # Z0172-587. Title: The tatami night robe of Iwao [巌の畳夜着] (Kyusue Iwao no tatami yogi); 灸すゑ巌の畳夜着(きゅうすえいわおのたたみよぎ。「灸すえ」– one of the main melodies in katōbushi (河東節) type of jōruri [浄瑠璃]. For a detailed explanation in Japanese, see also HERE). The night robe of Iwao is decorated with characters resembling Arabic numerals, and Latin and Cyrillic letters. A similar kimono can be seen on Kunisada's print Hotoke Gozen, Mirror of Virtuous and Wise Women (Kenjo Kagami) at RISD museum accession number 13.1383, portraying Hotoke Gozen (佛御前), a character of The Tale of the Heike [平家物語] (Heike Monogatari); published by Yamamotoya Heikichi (山本屋平吉) (Japanese, fl. c. 1812 – 1886) in the 1830s (see below).

    RISDM 13-1383

    A series of three prints is dedicated to a katōbushi performance of the Soga-themed plays.
    Yukari no Edo-zakura The tatami night robe of Iwao Tangled Hair and the Evening Braided Hat
    They all have a background of hail patterns (Arare-ko-mon) [霰小紋], similar to Kunisada’s Iwai Kumesaburō II as An no Heibei [SVJP-0304.2019], see below. Utagawa Kunisada, a.k.a. Toyokuni III . Kabuki actor Iwai Kumesaburō II as An no Heibei 1829
  • Сборник. Редактор Г. Н. Павлов, оформление И. З. Копеляна. Description: 8vo, 23 x 18 cm, grey cloth with black lettering, pictorial dust jacket. Inscription to front pastedown: “Дорогой | Броне Ароновне | от финансистов. | 31 октября 1961 г. | г. Ленинград.” Collation: 8vo; [1]-238 246; total 190 leaves with numerous b/w in-text illustrations plus 11 colour plates extraneous to collation. Pagination: [1-4] 5-378 [2]; total 380 pages. Print run: 25,000 copies. Articles by Sergei Varshavsky: Ф. А. Васильев. «Оттепель»; А. И. Куинджи. «Лунная ночь на Днепре»; В. Е. Маковский. «На бульваре»; И. И. Левитан. «Свежий ветер. Волга». Sergei Petrovich Varshavsky [Сергей Петрович Варшавский] (Jewish-Russian, 1906 – 1980)
  • Square softcover, 28.5 x 28.7 cm, pictorial wrappers, pp.: [1-5] 6-208, ils. Title-page: Chikanobu | Modernity and Nostalgia in Japanese Prints | by Bruce A. Coats | with essays by | Allen Hockley, Kyoko Kurita and Joshua S. Mostow | Scripps College, Claremont, CA, USA | in association with | Hotei Publishing | Leiden, The Netherlands | {publisher’s device} || Contributors: Toyohara Chikanobu [豊原周延] (Japanese, 1838 – 1912) Bruce Arthur Coats (American, modern)
  • Paperback, 32 x 29 cm, with signed manuscript gift autograph to t.p., pp.: [1-9] 10-159 [5]. The photographic pictorial album, published on the occasion of the exhibition at Madrid, Circulo de Bellas Artes, Sala Antonio Palacios, from December 12th, 2006 to January 7th, 2007. Valery Katsuba (Belarusian, b. 1965) – artist.
  • Two 8vo volumes bound in one, 19 x 12.5 cm, in full mottled sheepskin with gilt-bordered boards, gilt decorated flat spine with gilt-lettered red and black calf labels, rebacked, marbled endpapers and edges, printed on wove paper, plates on thicker laid paper. Title-page: FABLES | MISES EN VERS | PAR J. DE LA FONTAINE. | TOME PREMIER (SECOND). | {medallion portrait} (printer’s device “PC”) | A PARIS, | CHEZ ANT. AUG. RENOUARD. | M. DCC. XCV. || Collation: Vol. 1: π2 (h.t./imprint, t.p. medallion portrait/blank), [1]-38 (Notice sur la vie…), 1-58 64 (Vie de la Fontaine, Épitre, Préface, Vie d’Ésope), [7]-148 156 χ3 (table); pagination [4] [i] ii-xlviii, [1] 2-234. Total 143 leaves (286 pages) plus 6 plates after Moreau le Jeune by Devilliers fratres (p. 112), E. De Ghendt (pp. 122 and 181), Jean Louis Delignon (p. 140), Delvaux (p. 197), and Ph. Trière (p. 219). Title medallion portrait of La Fontaine (G Rigault pinx. – C S Gaucher inc.) by Gaucher after Rigaud. Vol. 2: π2 1-158 164; pagination [4] [1] 2-247 [248 blank]. Total 126 leaves (252 pages) plus 6 plates after Moreau le Jeune by Devilliers fratres (p. 19), Villerey (pp. 37, 80, and 146), Bosq (p. 121), and Ph. Trière (p. 199). The book published in 1795 (An 3) supplemented with plates produced in 1811 and 1812 for Œuvres complèttes (sic) de Jean de la Fontaine published by Lefèvre in 1814. The reason for choosing this particular edition for someone's library shortly after 1814 was probably the absence of censorship in 1795. Catalogue raisonné: (1) Lewine [LIB-2538.2020] on p. 276 (Paris, chez Renouard, 1795, 2 vols., 8vo., medal portrait on first title, and 12 plates after Moreau by Delvaux, Bosq, Ghendt, Trière, and Villerey). (2) M.-J.-F. Mahérault. L' oeuvre de Moreau le Jeune : catalogue raisonné et descriptif avec notes iconographiques et bibliographiques. — Paris: A. Labitte, 1880. Contributors: Jean de La Fontaine (French, 1621–1695) – author. Jean-Michel Moreau le Jeune (French, 1741–1814) – artist. Hyacinthe Rigaud (French, 1659 – 1743) – artist. Antoine-Augustin Renouard (French, 1765 – 1853) – publisher. Pierre Causse (French, 1761 – 1834) – printer. Engravers: Charles Étienne Gaucher (French, 1741 – 1804) Etienne De Villiers [Devilliers, Devilliers fratres] (French, 1784 – after 1844) Emmanuel Jean Nepomucène de Ghendt (Flemish, worked in France, 1738 – 1815) Jean-Louis Delignon (French, 1755 – 1820) Rémi Henri Joseph Delvaux (French, 1748 – 1823) Philippe Trière (French, 1756 – c. 1815) Auguste Villerey (French, 1801 – 1846) Jean Bosq (French, fl. c. 1801 – 1844)
  • A shunga (erotic) print by Suzuki Harunobu  [鈴木 春信] (Japanese, c. 1725 – 1770) depicting a woman making love with a man in the palanquin (のりもの/乗り物) while the other woman "ties a sash about her hips below her obi."  The sheet is not signed; however, it is attributed to Harunobu. A reference image can be found in the Metropolitan Museum (NY) collection, Accession Number JP1635:

    http://www.metmuseum.org/art/collection/search/45071

    According to the MET "the palanquin ... has carried these courtesans to the shore for a spring outing". Some time ago, a similar print was sold by Richard Kruml (description: A chuban shunga print showing the occupant of a kago in flagrante with one of the porters, having seized the opportunity of a stop on the journey. Published late 1760s. Rare). Another copy was sold at Sotheby's in Paris for €3,360 on November 27, 2002 (Lot 24), with a reproduction of the print's detail and description on p. 39: Suzuki Harunobu (1725 – 1770) | Shunga: couple dans un palanquin, vers 1768-1770, non-signe, cachet non identifé, cachets Charles Mitchell, Huguette Berès, Format chuban, 20.1 x 28.6 cm | 3000 – 4000 € | Il s’agit probablement de trois voyageurs, l’un d’entre eux debout près du palanquin faisant mine d’ignorer la scène. Bibliographie: Delay p. 87. Reference: [LIB-3121.2022] Sotheby's: Collection Huguette Berès – Estampes, dessins et livres illustrés japonais / 2 volumes; vol. 1. — Paris: Sotheby's, 2002.
  • Paperback brochure, 22.6 x 16 cm, brown wrappers, lettered in red and black: И. С. ТУРГЕНЕВЪ. | КАЗНЬ | ТРОПМАНА | ИЗЪ ЛИТЕРАТУРНЫХЪ | И ЖИТЕЙСКИХЪ ВОСПОМИНАНIЙ. | РИСУНКИ | Марселя Слодкаго | {fleuron} | КНИГОИЗДАТЕЛЬСТВО | «ГЕЛИКОНЪ» | МОСКВА - БЕРЛИНЪ | MCMXXII ||; 8 full-page, incl. frontispiece, and 5 smaller vignettes after Marcel Slodki, within pagination. Title-page: И. С. ТУРГЕНЕВЪ. | КАЗНЬ | ТРОПМАНА | ИЗЪ ЛИТЕРАТУРНЫХЪ | И ЖИТЕЙСКИХЪ ВОСПОМИНАНIЙ | Рисунки | МАРСЕЛЯ СЛОДКАГО. | Книгоиздательство | “ГЕЛИКОНЪ” | МОСКВА - БЕРЛИНЪ | MCMXXII || Imprint: Эта книга отпечатана въ типографiи Sinaburg & Co., G.m.b.H. | Berlin для книгоиздательства “Геликонъ” в декабрѣ | 1921 г. Клише работы Römmler & Jonas, Dresden. || Pagination: [4] blanks, [2] publisher’s device / imprint, [2] blank / frontis. (Turgenev’s portrait), [2] t.p. / blank, [2] f.t. / blank, 11-57 [58] text,  [4] blanks. Contributors: Иван Сергеевич Тургенев [Ivan Turgenev] (Russian, 1818 – 1883) – author. Марсель Слодкий [Marcel Slodki] (Jewish-Ukrainian, 1892 – 1944) – artist Jean-Baptiste Troppmann (French, 1849 – 1870) – character.
  • Hardcover volume, 20.4 x 13.1 cm, quarter contemporary calf over modern brown marbled board, printed on laid paper, pp.: [i-v] vi-xii, [13] 14-259 [260] blank; collated 8vo: 1-168 172; total 130 leaves. Title-page: DES | SOCIÉTÉS SECRÈTES | EN ALLEMAGNE, | ET EN D'AUTRES CONTREES; | DE LA SECTE DES ILLUMINÉS DU TRIBUNAL | SECRET, DE L'ASSASSINAT DE KOTZEBUE, ETC. | {two lines in rules} | PARIS, | LIBRAIRIE DE GIDE, FILS, | RUE SAINT–MARC–FEYDEAU, No. 20. | 1819. || Contributors: Vincent Lombard de Langres (French, 1765 – 1830)  – author. Théophile-Étienne Gide (French, 1767 – 1837) – publisher. Seller's description: [LOMBARD DE LANGRES (Vincent)]. Des Sociétés secrètes en Allemagne, et en d'autres contrées. Paris, Gide fils, 1819 ; in 8°, demi basane fauve, dos lisse orné. Reliure de l'époque. Edition originale rare. L'auteur, révolutionnaire, fut ami de Danton et de Barras. Dans son ouvrage anti maçonnique, il dévoile les doctrines des sociétés secrètes, leurs principes, leur influence dans la société. Caillet 6770.  
  • Hardcover volume, 21.5 x 14.7 x 5.7 cm, bound in red cloth with blind-stamped ms signature to front board and gilt lettering over black labels, and gild design elements to spine; pp.: [i-iv] (h.t./blank, t.p./copyright) v-xv[xvi] blank, [1-2] f.t./blank, 3-1653 [1654] blank, [2] publ. note/blank; 1672 pp total; Blue ink ms inscription to h.t. 'Lawrence Wyman'. Title-page (in a two-rule frame): THE COMPLETE WORKS OF | O. Henry | Foreword by | WILLIAM LYON PHELPS | AUTHENTIC EDITION | {publisher’s device, G.C.P.} | De Luxe Edition | — | Garden City Publishing Co., Inc. | GARDEN CITY    NEW YORK || Contributors: O. Henry [William Sydney Porter] (American, 1862 – 1910) – author. William Lyon Phelps (American, 1865  – 1943) – author/foreword.
  • Hardcover volume 28.5 x 22.2 cm, bound in grey cloth with gilt lettering to front and spine, olive endpapers, pictorial dust jacket [Washington square vista] with text and portrait of the authors to flaps, pp.: [i-viii] ix-xxi [xxii], [2] 3-208 [2], total 117 leaves, 205 photomechanical illustrations, limitation to last page: 1200 copies regular edition, 100 copies deluxe edition. Title-page: Armin Landeck | The Catalogue Raisonné of His Prints | Second Edition, Revised and Enlarged | June Kysilko Kraeft and Norman Kraeft | Southern Illinois University Press / Carbondale and Edwardsville || Contributors: Armin Landeck (American, 1905 – 1984) June Kysilko Kraeft Norman Kraeft
  • Hand-coloured woodcut on wove paper, 400 x 270 mm; black ink stamp “5306” to reverse. Top centre: "FAMILLE IMPÉRIALE", right: "62."; below centre: "Fabrique d'Images de GANGEL et P. DIDION, à Metz."; right: "Déposé." Publisher/printer: Gangel et P. Didion (Metz); Paulin Didion (French, 1831 – 1879). Characters: Napoleon III [Charles-Louis Napoléon Bonaparte] (French, 1808 – 1873) Eugénie de Montijo [L'impératrice Eugénie] (Spanish-French, 1826 – 1920) Napoléon, Prince Imperial (Napoléon Eugène Louis Jean Joseph Bonaparte] (French, 1856 – 1879) Napoléon II [Napoléon François Joseph Charles Bonaparte] (French, 1811 – 1832) Napoléon Ier [Napoléon Bonaparte] (French, 1769 – 1821)  
  • Iron pliers painted black and outlined in gilt lacquer, with wooden handle and bronze seals, "Ex Libris Comte Tony de Vibraye", L17.1 x W6.9 x H7.5 cm. Provenance: Antoine Henri Gaston Hurault de Vibraye [Comte Tony de Vibraye] (French, 1893 – 1951). The book with such a stamp in this library: [LIB-3243.2023] Crébillon fils. La Nuit et le moment ou Les Matinées de Cythère / Illustrations de Sylvain Sauvage. — Paris: Au dépens d’un amateur, 1924.  
  • Hardcover volume, 19 x 13 cm, grey cloth with gilt lettering to spine, grey/cream dust jacket lettered throughout, price “10s 6d | NET” unclipped. Covers rubbed, dust jacket has a purple ink stain on the back bottom. Black ink inscription to recto ffl. Collation: a-o8 p10, total 122 leaves; pp.: [6] 1-237 [238]. 1st edition, 1st issue / Great Britain. Title-page: THE END OF THE | AFFAIR | by | GRAHAM GREENE | {publisher’s device} | — | WILLIAM HEINEMANN LTD | MELBOURNE :: LONDON :: TORONTO || Imprint: FIRST PUBLISHED 1951 | PRINTED IN GREAT BRITAIN | AT THE WINDMILL PRESS | KINGSWOOD, SURREY || Dedication: To C. (Catherine Walston, nee Crompton, American, 1925 – 1978) Contributors: Graham Greene (British, 1904 – 1991) William Henry Heinemann (Jewish-British, 1863 – 1920)
  • Title page: УТОПИЧЕСКИЙ РОМАН XVI – XVII ВЕКОВ | ТОМАС МОР | УТОПИЯ |•| КАМПАНЕЛЛА | ГОРОД СОЛНЦА |•| ФРЭНСИС БЭКОН | НОВАЯ АТЛАНТИДА |•| СИРАНО ДЕ БЕРЖЕРАК | ГОСУДАРСТВА ЛУНЫ |•| ДЕНИ ВЕРАС | ИСТОРИЯ СЕВАРАМБОВ | {PUBLISHER’S DEVICE} | ИЗДАТЕЛЬСТВО | «ХУДОЖЕСТВЕННАЯ ЛИТЕРАТУРА» | МОСКВА • 1971 || Pagination: [1-4] 5-493 [494] [2], 10 plates extraneous to collation. Collation: 16mo; [1]16 2-1516 168. Binding: 20.5 x 15 cm, burgundy cloth, gilt serial device to cover, gilt lettering to spine, pictorial DJ. Colophon: БИБЛИОТЕКА ВСЕМИРНОЙ ЛИТЕРАТУРЫ | СЕРИЯ ПЕРВАЯ | Том 34 || Print run 300,000 copies

    Вступительная статья: Л. Воробьев

    Томас Мор: Утопия. Перевод А. Малеина и Ф. Петровского.

    Томмазо Кампанелла: Город Солнца. Перевод Ф. Петровского.

    Фрэнсис Бэкон: Новая Атлантида. Перевод З. Александровой.

    Сирано де Бержерак: Государства Луны. Перевод Е. Гунста.

    Дени Верас: История Севарамбов. Перевод Е. Дмитриевой.

    Примечания А. Малеина, Ф. Петровского, Ф. Коган-Бернштейн, Ф. Шуваевой.

    Художник: Селиверстов, Юрий Иванович (Russian, b. 1940) Authors, translators:

    More, Sir Thomas (British, 1478 –1535)

    Campanella, Tommaso (Italian, 1568 – 1639) Bacon, Francis (British, 1561 –1626) Cyrano de Bergerac, Savinien de (French, 1619 – 1655) Vairasse d' Allais, Denis (French, c. 1630 – 1672) Малеин, Александр Иустинович (Russian, 1869 – 1938) Петровский, Фёдор Александрович (Russian, 1890 – 1978) Елизавета Ивановна Дмитриева [Васильева; Черубина де Габриак] (Russian, 1887 – 1928) Александрова, Зинаида Николаевна (Russian, 1907—1983) Гунст, Евгений Анатольевич (Russian, 1901 – 1983) Коган-Бернштейн, Фаина Абрамовна [Аронгауз] (Russian, 1899 – 1976)
  • Ko-kinko ymagane cast tsuba of oval form with chiseled diaper pattern of double head waves on both sides and a rabbit cast and carved with its eye inlaid in yellow metal (gold or brass) on the face. Fukurin which holds together the sandwiched layers of metal (sanmai) is about 2.7 mm wide. Possibly, early Mino (ko-Mino) school. Size: 66.6 x 59.9 x 4.0 mm. Some connoisseurs believe that this kind of tsuba was in mass production at the time. Small animal believed to be a fox, however some attribute it to a long-tailed rabbit or a squirrel. I am leaning towards the rabbit. Similar example is found at Robert E. Haynes Catalog №3, April 9-11, 1982 on page 11, under № 15: “Rare design in style of Sanmai (three layers) / Wasei work. With yamagane core and heavy rim cover. The web plates are carved with double head Goto style waves and the face has a fox. The web plates were riveted at the seppadai.  See Lot 4, page 8. Ca. 1350. Ht. 6.6 cm, th. 3 mm” [underscore mine]. Quality of photo is so poor that I decided not to provide it here. The only difference betwen my tsuba and his is that his has a square hole on the right shoulder of the seppa-dai. Early Muromachi (if we follow Robert it is even Nanbokucho, 1337-1392) or Momoyama period. The Momoyama attribution is mostly based on a fact that “waves and rabbit” motif became most popular in Momoyama times. Mokkōgata tsuba of similar design in this collection - see TSU-0282.

    TSU-0282: Ko-kinko yamagane tsuba with waves and rabbit motif.

     
  • Late 19th-century (1850-1870) Japanese export fan. This fan has a double leaf painted with a different design on either side. Ivory encrusted with gemstones and other materials. Subject matter such as women wearing kimono is also more typical of export than domestic products (V&A). Summer (birds and flowers) theme on the reverse.
  • Iron tsuba with design of bamboo and sparrow (take-ni-suzume) in openwork (sukashi). Rounded rim. Copper sekigane. Akasaka school. Unsigned. Attributed to second generation Tadamasa Shōzaemon (died in in the fifth year of Enppo, 1677). Early Edo period: 17th century (Kan-ei Kanbun era). Height: 79.0 mm. Width: 77.5 mm. Rim thickness: 5.5 mm. Center thickness: 6.6 mm. Provenance: Sasano Masayuki Collection, № 222: "It is believed that sparrows nest in a bamboo grove". According to Merrily Baird [Merrily Baird. Symbols of Japan. Thematic motifs in art and design. Rizzoli international publications, Inc., 2001], "a bamboo grove is said to be emblematic of security as the bamboo is resilient even in the face of high winds and heavy rains. [...]  The association of the sparrow (suzume) with bamboo is an old one found in Japanese poetry, paining, and design. The bird is said to be obsessed with its honor, especially the repaying of debts".  
  • Gomoku-zōgan tsuba. Iron, inlaid with brass scrap (gomoku-zōgan), and polished. Height: 75.3 mm; Width 74.9 mm; Thickness at seppa-dai: 3.6 mm. Weight 130.2 g. Edo, 18th century. Gary D. Murtha dedicates 10 pages to this type of tsuba: "...they were made by soldering brass overlay scraps to the iron plate". Actual gomoku-zōgan tsuba are seldom found in collections most likely because they have little if any artistic attributes. In addition, many have rough surfaces making them questionable for use on a sword. It is said that many of these were produced in Yokohama for export to the West during the late Edo period". G. D. Murtha then describes the technique of making gomoku-zōgan in every detail, and states that "The brass pieces are said to represent 'fallen pine needles', a description most likely created to add aesthetic value to help market the tsuba" [see:Gary D. Murtha. Japanese sword guards. Onin - Heianjo - Yoshiro. GDM Publications, 2016; pp. 160-161].
  • Artist: Utagawa Toyokuni I (1769–1825) Actor Matsumoto Kōshirō V plays the role of Ikyû in the drama "Sukeroku Yukari no Edo Zakura". The roles of Sukeroku and the courtesan Agemaki are played by Ichikawa Danjûrô VII and Iwai Hanshirô V". Ichimura Theater in Edo in 2nd lunar month of 1811. Publisher: Chōjiya Kichi (1811-1826); Marks' "Publishers" № 028, p. 103. Size: Vertical ôban Woodblock print (nishiki-e); ink and color on paper. Signed: Toyokuni ga My print is the right sheet of a triptych (see: Rare books exhibition in January 2013). A lookalike triptych by Kunisada can be found in Ronin Gallery: Data from Kabuki21: Stage names: Matsumoto Kôshirô V, Ichikawa Komazô III, Ichikawa Sumizô I Guild: Kôraiya Line number: GODAIME (V) Poetry names: Kinshô, Kinkô Existence: 1764 ~ 10th day of the 5th lunar month of 1838 Connection: Father: Matsumoto Kôshirô IV Sons: Matsumoto Kôshirô VIIchikawa Sumizô II Disciples: Matsumoto KojirôMatsumoto Kingo IMatsumoto Hidejûrô II
    Matsumoto Kôshirô V was one of the Kabuki giants, a senryô yakusha, during the BunkaBunsei and Tenpô eras. In his 20's he was a tachiyaku actor excelling in nimaime roles like Soga Jûrô Sukenari in sogamono dramas. He started to perform jitsuaku roles from the 11th lunar month of 1798 and quickly became one of the best actors for villain roles, especially in Tsuruya Nanboku IV's kizewamono. He had a considerable influence on actors like Onoe Kikugorô III or Ichikawa Danjûrô VII. The kata he deviced for some of the most famous roles in Kabuki history, like Gonta ("Sushiya") or Nikki Danjô* ("Meiboku Sendai Hagi") are still used nowadays. "The fifth Kôshirô had a very large nose and his eyes were close together, two facial defects the print artists were fond of depicting, so that this Edo actor is easily picked out in the pictures illustrating the theatre of this time." (Zoë Kincaid in "Kabuki, the Popular Stage of Japan")
  • Bronze tsuba of mokkō form with narrow slightly raised rim carved in kebori with the sea weed and inlaid with a lobster (ebi) made of copper on the face and two sea shells made of shakudo on the back. Lobster's antennae inlaid in gold, and eyes inlaid in shakudo. Ishime-ji treated surface.

    Unsigned.

    Late Edo period (mid-19th century). Dimensions: 76.3 x 71.1 x 3.7 mm
  • Iron tsuba of oval form with a shakudō fukurin and rough surface decorated by low relief carving and brass inlay with a centipede emerging from under the rock on both sides.

    Edo period.

    Size: 78.9 x 73.6 x 3.8 mm

      Unsigned. However, this tsuba may be (though with reservation) attributed to Misumi Kōji school. There is some information regarding this master(s) in Tsuba. An aesthetic study by Kazutaro Torigoye and Robert E. Haynes (from the Tsuba Geijutsu-kō of Kazataro Torigoye. Edited and published by Alan L. Harvie for the Nothern California Japanese Sword Club, 1994-1997) on pages 163-4, though I was not able to locate the tsuba in the original publication. Possibly, this fragment of the book was added by Robert Haynes. Markus Sesko speculates about Misumi in his The Japanese toso-kinko Schools.// Lulu Inc., 2012 on pages 374-5: "Misumi Kōjo Tsuba. Iron plate, elliptical shape, shakudō takabori suemon, yamagane fukurin. Centipede." But of course, visual similarity does not prove anything. I was not able to find any traces of signature or a triangle on the seppa-dai.

    Misumi Kōji Tsuba on p. 163.

  • Shibuichi Kozuka carved in low relief (takabori, usuniku-bori) and inlaid in gold and silver with design of Shoko, reading by moonlight, thatch, pine rosettes, and fool moon. According to Henri L. Joly [LEGEND IN JAPANESE ART. London, 1908; LIB-1416 in this collection] Shoko was a Chinese student of Taoism who was so poor that he had no money to buy illuminating materials and read by moonlight. Shoko mentioned in the article about another Chinese character - Shaen, who was reading by the light emitted by glow-worms (see page 310). Signed on the back: Haruchika (親) + kaō. Size: 97.3 mm (H) x 14.8 mm (W). Edo period, mid 19th century. NBTHK Certificate № 449542. Hamano Haruchika from Edo was a student of Haruyuki in 1848-54; Hamano School, Etchū Toyama Branch, according to M. Sesko's "Genealogy", page. 34. Most probably it is his work. Following the MFA data, it is also possible that "our" Haruchika is indeed Nara Haruchika or Tsuchiya Haruchika from Nara School; though I did not hind such artist in Markus Sesko books. However, in his "Toso-Kinko" on page 177 there is certain Shingorō who carried out his business under the name of Yanagawa Haruchika (1791-1857?)  
  • Classical picklock Italian stiletto switchblade knife with bolster release, fixed guard, Brazilian horn handle.

    Size: 112 mm (closed); 240 mm (opened); 90 mm blade.

    Tang is etched with: Latama, Italy. SOLD
  • Stag antler netsuke of a recumbent ox. Signed: Tomomasa [友政]. Circa 1800. Dimensions: 56.1 x 20.7 x 36.8 mm Just speculation: There was a master in Kyoto named Tomotada who made netsuke with a recumbent ox motif. Our Tomomasa may be an epigone of a later date. Some even attribute the master to Meiji period. Provenance: Charles Ephrussi (1849-1905) acquired in the 1870s; a wedding gift in 1898 to his cousin Ritter Viktor von Ephrussi (1860-1945) and Baroness Emilie (Emmy) Schey von Koromla (1879-1938); retrieved post-war by their daughter Elizabeth de Waal (1899-1991); given by her to her brother Ignaz (Iggie) Ephrussi (1906-1994), Tokyo; bequeathed by him to his great-nephew Edmund de Waal (born 1964), London, author of “The Hare with Amber Eyes: a hidden inheritance”. London / New York: Chatto & Windus / Farrar, Straus & Giroux. ISBN 978-0099539551. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Charles_Ephrussihttps://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ephrussi_familyhttps://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Edmund_de_Waal.
  • Oblong round shape (nagamaru-gata) tsuba with design of dragonfly (tombo or katsumushi) and wheel (kuruma) in negative openwork (kage-sukashi), round rim (maru-mimi ). Copper sekigane.

    Okamoto Yasukazu's Owari to Mikawa no tankō, №181 characterizes the tsuba as follows: "Katsumushi, kuruma-sukashi no zu (dragonfly and wheel sukashi). Mei: Yamakichibei (Shodai). Such small tsuba are rare for the Shodai. The nakago-ana is also small so it was probably intended to be mounted on a tantō. Regardless of its size, the iron is outstanding and the workmanship shows the characteristic features of the Shodai (first generation). The kuruma-sukashi design is interpreted here in a half-moon shape and only on one side of the tsuba. Such a design is also seen on works of the Nidai (second generation)...". Signed to the left of nakaga-ana: Yamakichibei (山吉兵へ). Attributed to the First Generation (Shodai) master.

    NBTHK paper (translated by Markus Sesko): The Tokubetsu-Kichō Kodōgu. Kachimushi-kuruma sukashi-tsuba (勝虫車透鐔) - Tsuba with sukashi motif of dragonfly and cartwheel. Signed: Yamakichibei (山吉兵). Iron, marugata, ko-sukashi. Issued on April 1, 1977. [Copy only] Dimensions: H: 66 mm; W: 63.2 mm; Th(center): 3.8 mm; Th(rim): 3.5 mm. Weight: 68 g.
  • FABLES | DE FLORIAN | ILLUSTRÉES | PAR J.-J. GRANDVILLE , | SUIVIES | DE TOBIE ET RUTH , | Poëmes tirés de l'Ecriture Sainte | ET | PRECEDEES D'UNE NOTICE SUR LA VIE ET LES OUVRAGES DE FLORIAN , | PAR P.-J. STAHL. | [Vignette] PARIS. | J.-J. DUBOCHET ET Cie , ÉDITEURS , | 1842. Pagination: ffl, [2 blanks] [i, ii - ht/imp.] [2 - blank/engr. t.p. by Grandville] [iii, iv - t.p./blank] [v] vi-xx; 2 sheets of plates, [3] 4-292, bfl; engraved t.p. + [79] leaves of plates + 5 faux t.p. (total 85 plates) Size: In-8vo, 23.8 x 15 cm. Binding: Orig. blind-stamped navy cloth with gilt Grandville characters to boards and spine. First edition, first printing. Reference: Léopold Carteret (Le trésor du bibliophile. Epoque romantique. 1801-1875 / Livres illustrés du XIXe siècle. – Paris: L. Carteret; imprim. Lahure, 1927). Wood engravers: Adolphe Best (French, 1808 – 1860): 22 plates Louis-Henri Brévière (French, 1797 – 1869): 3 plates Brugnot (French, active 19th century): 7 plates Prosper-Adolphe-Léon Cherrier (French, born 1806): 6 + Tobie et Ruth + vignettes Louis Dujardin (French, 1808 – 1859): 2 plates Monogram GO–> (possibly for Godard) : 1 plate Halley-Hiback (French, 19th century): 1 + vignette Henri-Désiré Porret (French, 1800–1867): 2 + vignette Lacoste père et fils aîné et Auguste-Alexandre Guillaumot (French, 1815 – 1892): 5 plates Quichon (French, 19th century): 10 plates + Tobie et Ruth François Rouget (Belgian, born bef., 1825): 19 + vignette Unsigned or with an illegible signature: 6 plates