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