Complete collection of Japanese erotic woodblock prints in colour, by a famous artist
UTAGAWA KUNIMARO.
Nyogo ga shima engi no irifune. [A treasure ship embarking at the Isle of Women].
[Japan], 1848-1854. 3 volumes. 22.2 x 15 cm. Volume 1: with a full-page woodcut illustration of 3 cranes (on the title-page?) on the inside of the front wrapper, 8 double-page woodcut illustrations showing erotic scenes, and a full-page woodcut illustration of 3 turtles. Volume 2: with a full-page illustration (on the title-page?) of pine needles and bamboo, 5 double-page woodcut illustrations showing erotic scenes, and a full-page woodcut illustration of plum blossoms. Volume 3: with a full-page illustration (of two pans on the title-page?), 4 double-page woodcut illustrations showing erotic scenes, and a full-page illustration of a table with a plant next to a draught screen. All illustrations are beautifully hand-coloured and set within a printed black frame. Original decorated paper wrappers (showing radiating suns in dark blue and blue and orange) in the traditional Japanese fukurotoji manner (double leaves with the fold at the fore-edge, each double leaf printed from a single woodblock on the 2 outside pages with the title and leaf numbers on the fold, stabbed and oversewn with yellow thread through 4 holes without a spine), the front and back wrappers folded in at all 4 edges, the first and last printed leaves pasted down to the wrappers, publishers manuscript title-label on the front wrapper. 3, 16; 16; 16 pp. Full description
€ 6,850
[Japan], 1848-1854. 3 volumes. 22.2 x 15 cm. Volume 1: with a full-page woodcut illustration of 3 cranes (on the title-page?) on the inside of the front wrapper, 8 double-page woodcut illustrations showing erotic scenes, and a full-page woodcut illustration of 3 turtles. Volume 2: with a full-page illustration (on the title-page?) of pine needles and bamboo, 5 double-page woodcut illustrations showing erotic scenes, and a full-page woodcut illustration of plum blossoms. Volume 3: with a full-page illustration (of two pans on the title-page?), 4 double-page woodcut illustrations showing erotic scenes, and a full-page illustration of a table with a plant next to a draught screen. All illustrations are beautifully hand-coloured and set within a printed black frame. Original decorated paper wrappers (showing radiating suns in dark blue and blue and orange) in the traditional Japanese fukurotoji manner (double leaves with the fold at the fore-edge, each double leaf printed from a single woodblock on the 2 outside pages with the title and leaf numbers on the fold, stabbed and oversewn with yellow thread through 4 holes without a spine), the front and back wrappers folded in at all 4 edges, the first and last printed leaves pasted down to the wrappers, publishers manuscript title-label on the front wrapper. 3, 16; 16; 16 pp. Full description