尚古鎧色一覽 Shoko Gaishoku Ichiran (Color List of Old Japanese Armor) (2 vols.)
東京 [Tokyo]: Yoshikawa Hanshichi (吉川半七), Meiji 34 [1901]. Second edition. Softcover. Quartos. Unpaginated double-sided rice paper leaves. Vol.1: 19 leaves, Vol.2: 22 leaves. String-bound tan textured cloth wrappers, with decorative flying crane motifs printed in grey and brown on the covers. White paper labels with printed black text are pasted on the front covers.
The second edition of this reference work on Japanese armor by late Edo-period samurai and scholar Hyakuri Homra (1784-1854). Originally published in 1833, this beautiful 2-volume set is a visual survey of designs and color schemes for traditional Japanese Odoshi, which were the silk lacing or braiding patterns on the Yoroi style of Samurai armor. Included are a total of 262 individual designs finely rendered in full color woodblock prints, specifically created for this edition, by scholar Sadasuke Imaizumi (1863-1944), under the direction of painter and professor Chitori Kawasaki (1837-1902). This lacing or braiding would be used to tie individual scales (or plates) of armor together and were used to identified clan affiliation and rank among samurai on the battle field, based on the specifics of their colors and patterns. This intricate armor would need to be maintained and cleaned over a period of years to keep it from being damaged and faded. Each image is captioned with cursive-style Japanese text, with addition introductory and concluding statements at the beginning and end of the volumes.
Wrappers with some light rubbing to extremities. Some stains and smudges to the wrappers of both volumes. Vol.1 with a few small chips along the edges of the front cover. Interiors quite clean and vibrant with the exception of a few minor to light foxing to interior covers. Wrappers in good, interiors in very good condition overall. Protected in modern mylar. Scarce. g to vg. Item #50027
Series title: Kojitsu sōsho 故實叢書.
Price: $2,500.00