Book on Japanese art:
Tsuda – Manuskript, [Über die Lackkunst Japans, 1908, Tsuda Noritake, Tokyo, in der Karl Mannstaedt – Übersetzung.] A translation into the German language of a manuscript on the History of Japanese Lacquer by Tsuda Noritake, dated 1908.
The manuscript, written by Tsuda in the English language, is inscribed with kanji for Japanese names and technical terms. With b/w line drawings of tools and utensils, and reproduction of objects from Japanese lacquer books and magazines. 11 5/8 x 8 9/16 in. (30 x 22 cm). Silkcloth, 2 vols. German text. Beautifully bound, perfect condition.
Vol. 1., 289 pp.
Part I. Introduction by Karl Mannstaedt, undated, ca. 1939, (pp.1-4), Table of contents (pp. 5-12), Introduction by Tsuda (pp. 13-14), History of Japanese Lacquer Art from the Nara period (pp.1-83), to the Tokugawa (Edo) period (pp. 84-257).
Inserted between pp. 83 and 84 are 32 pages of drawings copied from the “Tankaku-zufu”, based on the “Ruiju-zôyô-shô” with descriptions in the English language.
Vol. 2., 302 pp.
Part II. Biographies of Lacquer Artisans (pp. 1-92), Part III. Descriptions of Tools and Materials used for the production of Lacquer objects (pp.1-98).
Inserted between pp. 19 and 20 of Part III. are 30 pages of line drawings of lacquerers’ tools and utensils with descriptions in the English language.
Part IV. Table of Contents, History of Lacquer (pp. 1-112).
Inscribed on the title page: TSUDA - MANUSCRIPT, In der Mannstaedt Übersetzung. Englisches Original aus dem Jahre 1908. Im Auftrag von Heinz Kress übertragen nach einer maschinengeschriebenen Kopie der deutschen Übersetzung im Jahre 1986. [Tsuda Manuscript, translated by Mannstaedt. After an English original from 1908. Transcribed from a type-written copy of the German translation in 1986 on behalf of Heinz Kress.] Karl Mannstaedt (dates unknown), who was employed before the II. World War by the German collector Dr. Kurt Herberts, made a type-written translation into German from a hand written English original. The various styles of writing in the manuscript indicate that it was dictated by Tsuda to a number of scribes. In the type-written translation the kanji for most technical terms and names were transcribed from the English original. A total of three hand written copies of the Tsuda Manuscript are known to exist today, but each contains minor variations of the text:
- One Tsuda Manuscript is owned by the Metropolitan Museum of Art, N.Y.
- Another one is owned by the University of Bonn, Germany, Japanologisches Seminar.
- The third hand written copy in the English language, as well as Mannstaedt’s typed translation into the German language, are in the collection of Heinz and Else Kress, Finland. (see: inrô-shita-e, Design Drawings from a Japanese Lacquer Workshop, Select Bibliography, p. 353).

This book is located in Europe (EC).

Standard work on Chinese painting" Osvald Sirén, Chinese Painting: Leading masters and principles, vols. I to VII, facsimile (orange cloth), Hacker Art Books Inc., New York 1973. 11 1/8 x 8 ½ inches.
Vol. I Early Chinese painting
Vol. II The first millennium. The Sung period
Vol. III The first millennium. Plates
Vol. IV The later centuries. The Yüan and early Ming masters
Vol. V The later centuries. The later Ming and leading Ch’ing masters
Vol. VI The later centuries. Plates
Vol. VII Annotated lists of paintings and reproductions of painting by Chinese artists
Covers with some rubbing and slightly soiled on the cut of the paper, inside excellent condition, binding overall almost as good as new.

Osvald Siren: Chinese Painting: Leading Masters and Principles. Part I; The First Millennium (3 vols.), London: Lund Humphries/New York: Ronald Press, 1956.
Vol.I: Early Chinese Paintings (xi+235pp., colored frontispiece and b/w ills.)
Vol.II: The Sung Period (vi+189pp. and annotated lists 95pp., colored frontispiece and b/w ills.)
Vol.III: Plates (xviii pp., 372 b/w plates).
Bound with red cloth, gilt title to front board and spine. With slip cases. 28.5x23cm.
Books very good codition. Splipcases with slight traces of usage.

Binyon, Laurence, Chinese Paintings in English Collections, G. Vanoest, Paris/Brussels 1927. 26 pp. text 29 pp. description of plates, 64 black and white plates. Quarto, blue cloth, title gilt-stamped to spine (oxidized) and front cover, gold on upper side pages. Binding is sunned at spine and rubbed and scratched on all sides; crown is lightly bumped. Pages very lightly browned, mostly at outer edges, binding fragile but in place.

Kress, Else, Kress Heinz, Inro shita-e, Design Drawings from a Japanese Lacquer Workshop, including a facsimile reproduction of an album containing 200 lacquer design drawings. Köln, 2003, 358 pp., over 393 colour ills., lavishly illustrated. 30 x 23 cm, Paper. English text. Perfect condition.
In-depth study on the use of design drawings in Japanese lacquer workshops in the 18th and 19th centuries. The study is based on the Kress inro archives of today total 30,000 inro records, consisting of approx. 100,000 photographs of inro and data collected in museums, private collections, or at auctions worldwide. The authors were able to prove the existence of 84 inro exactly matching the design drawings in the album. The designs were used in the 18th and 19th centuries mostly by the workshops of Yamada Jokasai and Hasegawa Shigeyoshi Kyorinsai. These workshops are presented with 144 inro; those with a Jokasai signature are shown on pp. 220-289, inro with a Hasegawa signature are shown on pp. 290-328.
This piece is located in Europe (EC).

Speiser, Werner, Lackkunst in Ostasien Herausgegeben im Auftrage der Herbol-Werke–Herbig-Haarhaus AG, Koeln.
Holle Verlag, Baden-Baden, Germany, 1965, 375 pp., 25.5 x 21 cm. Cloth. German language. 37 colour plates, 256 b/w illustrations.
Dust cover faded and slightly worn at spine, slight foxing at page edges, otherwise perfect condition.

Lackkunst in Ostasien (East-Asian Lacquer Art) is one of the first overviews written in German language on the subject of lacquer. The book begins chronologically with illustrations of more than 2000 years old Chinese lacquer objects, continuing to Chinese, Japanese, and Korean lacquer boxes and screens of later epochs. Samples are shown of all kinds of techniques and styles, including lacquer paintings by Shibata Zeshin. The majority of objects shown here were owned by two rivalling industrial-lacquer producing companies: the Herberts and the Herbig-Haarhaus companies, in Wuppertal and Cologne, Germany. Owner and director of both companies were interested in lacquer art and began in 1937 to exhibit family treasures. Later they systematically bought lacquer objects at auctions and exhibitions. During the 2nd World War a large part of the Herberts collection, especially lacquered furniture, was destroyed. However, smaller items of Chinese and Japanese lacquer art, being easier to transport, and perhaps more precious, were stored in rural places and survived. Beatrix von Rague was responsible for the collection of one company during the years 1952-1959. Edith Straesser was responsible for the other company-owned lacquer museum from 1967 until 1987.
In 1982 the lacquer collections of Dr. Kurt Herberts were acquired by the BASF Lacke + Farben AG, who now exhibit them in their Museum of Lacquer Art in Muenster, Germany.
Appendix: Zeittafel (Table of Chinese dynasties, reigns of Japanese emperors, Korean eras, from 1600 B.C. to 1925 A.D.), pp. 356-359. Bibliography, pp. 360-364. Index, pp. 365-374, Museums and collections presented, p. 375. Table of contents, p. 376.

Rare early reference. Item location: Europe.

Kanazawa Bijutsukan, Kaga yukari no makie-ten (Kaga Lacquer Art Exhibition), Kanazawa bijutsu seinenkai yonju-shu kinen (Exhibition in Honour of the 40th Anniversary of the Opening of the Kanazawa Art Museum). Japanese Exhibition Catalogue, 1995. Exhibition at the Kanazawa Museum of Art, Japan
104 pp., 30 x 21.5 cm. Hardboard. Japanese language only. 62 colour plates.
Outside cover very slightly soiled, otherwise perfect condition.

The 62 colour plates present excellent and detailed photographs of writing boxes (suzuri-bako), saddles, furniture, and other objects, produced during the past centuries by the best lacquer masters in the Kaga area. Among them are members of the Igarashi family, and their followers.
In an essay by Motoya Fumio (pp.11 - 18) of the Ishikawa prefecture Museum of Arts, style and technique of lacquer objects made by Igarashi Dôho and his followers are compared to Edo (Tokyo)-style lacquer objects. The Kaga province, at the Japan Sea coast, is famous for its high-quality lacquers.

Total 49 illustrations of lacquer objects by Igarashi masters, or also executed in Igarashi-style, are shown on pp. 19 – 50. This is followed by 18 illustrations of lacquer objects made by Shimizu Kuhei (1686 - ?) and his circle (pp. 52 – 61). Lacquered armour, writing boxes, and other Kaga lacquer objects are shown on pp. 62 – 70.
Pages 72 – 84 focus on works by less known Kaga lacquer masters active in the Meiji period and the 20th century. Shown are 26 illustrations of objects by such masters as Igarashi Zuiho (1852-1903), Yoneda Magoroku (? – 1874?), Sawada Sotaku (1830-1915), Shinoda Getsukyo (1883-1931), Ogaki Shokun (1865-1937), Awada Beizan (1881-1943), Fugaki Seiho (1884-1954), and others.
On pp. 85 – 88 are presented 32 enlarged examples of the various techniques seen on objects by Igarashi, and other lacquer masters. Explanations and commentaries concerning the objects shown are given on pp. 89 – 99.
List of plates with measurements and relevant information on pp. 100 – 101. A list of the association’s chairmen during the past 40 years, and photograph of the 12 present members of the board are found on pp. 102 – 103.

Item locations: Europe.

White, Helen, Snuff Bottles from China. The Victoria and Albert Collection, Bamboo Publishing Ltd. in association with the Victoria and Albert Museum, London 1990. First edition. Hardcover (green fine linen), 14 ½ x 10 ¼ in. (37 x 26.4 cm), 291pp. with numerous color illustrations, green linen slipcover.
Well written introduction to the history of tobacco and the use of snuff bottles, followed by a description of the collection snuff bottles, organized according to material (hardstones, glass, porcelain, metal and organic). At the end there is a concordance list and a bibliography.
No dust jacket, some paint stains on bottom of slipcase, otherwise in fine condition.

Fahr-Becker, Gabriele (ed.), The Art of East Asia, English edition, Koenemann Verlagsgesellschaft mbH, Cologne, 1999, 2 vols., 406pp and 407pp. 12 ½ x 10 ¾ in. (32 x 27.8 cm). Hardcover with dust jacket, in slipcase.
In these volumes the arts and cultures are discussed, richly illustrated in color, of China, Indonesia and the Champa Kingdoms (vol. I) and of the Kingdom of the Khmer, Thailand, Laos, Burma, Vietnam, Japan and Korea (vol. II). The focus of this book is clearly on China and Japan. Contributing authors are Sabine Hesemann, Michael Dunn, Gabriele Farh-Becker and Michaela Appel. The appendix includes Glossary of Chinese characters, Notes, Selective Bibliography, Picture Credits (vol. I) and Notes, Glossary, Index and Picture Credits (vol. II).
N.B. The German text edition came out in 1998.
Vol. I with minor traces of usage, vol. II. with dented corners at top. Case also with dented corner at top.

Ducros Alain, Briot Alain, Paris Edo, netsuke & sagemono – convention 1994, Catalogue, 1994.
160 pp., 29 x 21 cm. Paper. French / English text Alain Ducros. Japanese summary and list of netsuke, 7 pages, Alain Briot. Numerous colour plates.
Outside cover slightly worn, otherwise perfect condition.

The catalogue is filled with illustrations of approximately 200 netsuke, 50 inro, various pipe cases, tobacco pouches, kiseruzutsu pipe holders, and other items worn hanging from the belt. Also provided are reproductions of pages from design bases, such as the Soken Kisho (1781), and other woodblock-printed books. Enlarged details and signatures are shown separately.
With a preface (French language only) by Guy de Lasteyrie, and introduction by Alain Ducros.

Item location: Europe.

Shogun, Kunstschätze und Lebensstil eines japanischen Fürsten der Shogun-Zeit [Shogun, The Shogun Age Exhibition] Exhibition at the Haus der Kunst, München, 1985. Objects from the Tokugawa Art Museum, Nagoya with essays by Roger Goepper, Shinzaburô Ôishi, Yoshinobu Tokugawa. Tokyo, The Shogun Age Exhibition Committee, Tokyo, 1984. 292 pp., fully illustrated, 273 objects, esp. sets of objects. 28 x 21 cm. Paper. German text. Almost perfect condition.
Excellent exhibition catalogue, showing weapons, tea ceremony utensils, textiles, and other items used by the Tokugawa shoguns during the years 1603 to 1867, as well as musical instruments and utensils used by their wives and daughters. This exhibition was also shown in the USA and France.

This book is located in Europe (EC).

Sumitani Koichiro, Lacquer of Sanuki – the roots of the craft empire, Kawade Shobo Shinsha, 2005.
395 pp., 26 x 18.5 cm. Paper. Japanese text, English captions. 200 ills., 156 colour plates.
Perfect condition.

A lavishly illustrated overview of a variety of Japanese lacquer objects produced on the island of Shikoku, Kagawa prefecture. Colour illustrations present brilliantly carved lacquer objects decorated in the striking black and red sanuki technique, other objects and screens are decorated in the kinma technique, imported from Burma (today Myanmar) in the 17th century. Shown are also colourful incised zonsei lacquers. Many reading helps (furigana) for names, techniques, etc., found throughout the text.
Pages 16 – 84 focus on Tamakaji Zôkoku (1807 - 69), a brilliant master of carved lacquer, kinma-lacquers, and colourful zonsei-nuri. This is followed by examples of work and short biographies of various Kagawa Lacquer masters of the 20th century (see list below).
Pages 32-35 and 148- 157 deal with the well known Yamanaka lacquer shop in Osaka, the base of Yamanaka & Co., in New York (founded 1894), and its Boston branch (1899).

Illustrations of works by such craftsmen as (in alphabetical order): Akashi Bokkei, works dated from 1947 to1990, Bunkidô Kokusai, brother of Tamakaji Zôkoku, Bunkidô Ransai (kinma, zonsai), Gotô Tahei, 1913, Ishii Keidô (Sakamoto Sessai), 1926 – 1933, Isoi Joshin, kinma, carved lacquer,1922, 1933, 1946, 1959, Isoi Masami, 1964, 1974, 1988, 1994, Kagawa Sôseki, 1946, 1955, Kamada Kadô, 1941 - 1945, Kitahara Senroku, 1927, 1934, Kubota Tsune, 1982, Manago Jitsuya, 1967, Mori Zôdô, 1931, Takahashi Kanzan, 1920, Takagi Yoshitsugu, 1922, Sasa Chikusen, 1951, Tamakaji Zôkoku, works dated from 1839 to 1854, Tamakaji Tôsha, works dated from 1881 to 1895, Tanizawa Fujimatsu, 1933 – 1941, Ônishi Tadao, 1955 – 1963, Ôshima Tadashi, 1957, Ôta Hitoshi, 1983 – 1998, Otomaru Kôdô, 1924, 1929, 1934, 1975.

Appendix:
Bibliography, focusing on Tamakaji Zôkoku and his workshop. Citations from magazines (Shikkokai zasshi, etc.), readings of inscriptions on works and storage boxes, transciptions of notes by Tamakaji Zôkoku, pp. 326-355. (Zôkoku) Setsudô, pp. 355-359, Hyakku-kaen, Miki Hachigorô, pp. 360-361, Mori Zôdô, pp. 361-362, Kagawa-ken kôgei gakku (Kagawa pref. Handicraft school), Kagawa-ken bijutsu tenrankai (Kagawa pref. Fine Arts Exh. Assoc.), pp. 362-363, Isoi Joshin, pp. 363-365, Otomaru Kôdô, pp. 365-368, Akashi Bokkei, pp. 368-369, Ônishi Tadao, pp. 369-370, Kagawa Sôseki, p. 370, Isoi Masami, p. 370, Ôta Hitoshi, pp. 370-371, Tamakaji Zôkoku, abbreviated genealogies, pp. 371-372, Tamakaji Zôkoku, genealogy, p. 371. Conclusion, pp. 375-379.
Bilingual list of plates with measurements and relevant information, pp. 382-290. Index, in Japanese with furigana.

Item location: Europe. This is a low priced book

Helmert-Corvey, Theodor, Inro: das Ding am Gurtel, Bielefeld, 1997, 295 pp., over 230 colour ills., 29 b/w ills. and line drawings. 30 x 23 cm. Paper. Perfect condition. German text.
Excellent catalogue of an exhibition of inro from the collection of Heinz and Else Kress held in a number of German museums in 1997-98. Good introductory essay by Monika Kopplin, director of the Museum of Lacquer Art, and thorough descriptions of inro. Also shown are some color woodblock prints, surimono, and sword guards (tsuba), all featuring inro.
Appendix: Glossary of technical terms (p. 289), List of woodblock-printed illustrated books used as design-base for inro (p. 290), Selected bibliography (pp. 291-294).

This book is located in Europe (EC).

Macintyre, Michael, The Shogun Inheritance, Japan and the Legacy of the Samurai. Based on the BBC TV Series, London, William Collins & Sons Co., BBC, 1981. 216 pp., 167 color ills. 28.5 x 25 cm. Hardboard, dust jacket. Cover slightly rubbed, otherwise good condition.
This book is the result of a BBC film producer’s interest in modern Japan’s industrial culture, with glimpses of old Japan, its martial arts, the theater, and its geisha culture. Michael Macintyre’s photographs present a Japan of contrasts: Modern companies arrange for their young female workers to take lessons in flower arrangement. Formally dressed apprentice geisha (maiko) are shown in a bowling alley: in Kyoto’s narrow streets the huge floats of the 1000 year-old Gion festival have to navigate carefully around dangerously close traffic lights and the electric-power cables and phone-wires, present everywhere in Japan’s streets. Tattooed Yakuza in a white-tiled bath, school-children on their way to temple, thousands of bicycles parked in Kyoto, fields, shops, and theaters, all possible aspects of Japanese life are shown. Appendix: References (p. 214), Historical table (pp. 214-215), and Glossary (pp. 215-216), Acknowledgements (p. 215).

This book is located in Europe (EC).

Eijer, Dieuwke, Kagamibuta, Mirrors of Japanese Life and Legend, The Baur Collection / Heinz Kaempfer Fund (Geneva / Leiden), 1994. 95 pages, numerous b/w and color illustrations. Extensive description of the history, materials, techniques of kagamibuta, its subject matter and kagamibuta makers, richly illustrated with excellent photos of pieces from the Baur Collection and from private collections. The appendix contains a list of kagamibuta makers with their signatures and biographic information.
New, in original shrink wrap.