Jonathan A. Hill Bookseller has released their latest catalogue – Catalogue 240 Japanese, Chinese, & Korean Manuscripts, & Scrolls. Most of the items are written in their native languages though some certainly are more notable for illustrations than text. Images are the universal tongue. Most are 19th century and older, even from before printing with movable type. Then there are exceptions to both of these “mosts,” a selection of 20th century items related to Japan from the Grabhorn Press. Here are a few sample selections from this catalogue.
We begin with an item that is richly illustrated. It is a manuscript headed Shichito no Shiori (stories about the seven hot springs), circa 1811. The author of the text was Roka Sanjin. The hot springs are located at Hakone in central Japan. They have been used for medicinal purposes at least back to the 12th century. The story is that they were originally discovered to have healing properties by a Buddhist priest. The alkaline waters were believed to cure a whole host of ailments. There are dozens of them in use today, but originally there were seven hot springs, and those are the ones described and illustrated in this manuscript. There are 136 pages in ten volumes. It contains 34 painted scenes. There is a three-page hand-drawn map in the first volume while the next seven volumes are one each for each of the seven springs. There are also illustrations and descriptions of the landscape in this beautiful, mountainous area. Details are provided on local inns, distances from cities, and the medical benefits and diseases treated by the spring waters. Item 9. Priced at $45,000.
We all know that Gutenberg invented the first printing press in 1455, but that was not the same as the first printing. His invention of movable type made it possible to print lengthy texts in large numbers, but printing had been used for many centuries prior to Gutenberg in China and Japan. Woodblocks were used for printing, which was practical for shorter texts but not for items of biblical length. Item 48 is a Sutra of Perfection of Wisdom (translated from Japanese) printed by the monk Chikan. He has dated it August 1368 which is consistent with the time he lived. The sutras were copied and brought from India to China around 645, later making their way around the nations of the Far East. This printing consists of 15 joined sheets creating 74 pages (and one blank). $8,500.
What do you if there's a fire but no firefighters or fire engines to rescue you and put out the blaze? You better be prepared to deal with the fire yourself. In 1789, you would have been very much on your own. From Kyoto comes Banmim chiyo no ishizue (important cautionary firefighting instructions for the entire nation), by Yoshikazu Kawaguchi. This book was a direct response to a terrible fire in 1788. The Great Kyoto Fire, or Great Tenmei Fire (referring to the Tenmei era) ravaged the city of many wooden structures. Starting in an empty house, strong winds whipped it around the city. It burned for two days, and embers continued to burn for several more until a heavy rainstorm extinguished them. An estimated 36,000 homes were destroyed, 200 temples, and the number of deaths has been estimated anywhere from 150-1,800. Among the structures destroyed was the Imperial Palace. It, and the city, were rebuilt. This book is designed to tell you how to prevent fire, fight one if it breaks out, and escape from a fire. There are illustrations, such as one showing how to leave your clothes out so you can put them on quickly in case of a fire. Larger illustrations show where the fire occurred, scenes of the fire burning and residents escaping with their valuables, refugees gathered on the outskirts of town, and finally the survivors starting to rebuild their homes. Item 17. $4,500.
Next is Biao du shuo (explanation of the gnomon) by the un-Chinese sounding named astronomer Sabatino de Ursis. No surprise he was an Italian native who went to China with the Jesuits. He went to help one of the first Jesuits to enter China, astronomer Matteo Ricci, in 1607. After Ricci died in 1610, de Ursis became the Jesuits' primary astronomer. The gnomon mentioned in the title is an early astronomical measuring device. This book is significant because it stated for the first time in China that the Earth is round. It was the first to divide the Earth by latitude and longitude. He also wrote of planetary motion though he had the sun revolving around the Earth. One of the woodcuts has the Earth casting a shadow on the sun which displays some misunderstanding of how that works. However, it also has the first depictions of North and South America in a Chinese book and shows two boats traveling in opposite directions but meeting up in the end, an example of what happens if the Earth is round. Item 53. $65,000.
These next four items were printed from Edwin Grabhorn's collection of Asian arts. Edwin and his brother Robert operated the Grabhorn Press, perhaps America's most notable of private, fine presses, in San Francisco from 1942-1965. These four selections were printed at the Grabhorn Press on behalf of The Book Club of California.
Item 5. Figure Prints of Old Japan. A Pictorial Pageant of Actors & Courtesans of the Eighteenth Century. Limited to 400 copies. 1959. $400.
Item 6. Landscape Prints of Old Japan. From the Beginning of the Eighteenth Century to the Middle of the Nineteenth Century. Limited to 450 copies. 1960. $400.
Item 7. Ukiyo-e. “The Floating World.” Illustrated by Twenty-eight Rare Examples of Japanese Woodblock Prints of Seventeen Great Masters of Art. Limited to 400 copies 1962. $400.
Item 8. Twelve Wood-Block Prints of Kitagawa Utamaro. Illustrating the Process of Silk Culture. Limited to 450 copies. 1965. $250.
Jonathan A. Hill Bookseller may be reached at 917-294-2678 or jonathan@jonathanahill.com. The website is www.jonathanahill.com.
