EHON TAKA KAGAMI: ILLUSTRATED MIRROR OF HAWKS. PICTURES OF DIFFERENT KINDS OF HA

[Tokyo 1877-79, Nakamura]. Stitched yellow wrappers, title slips,issued in 2 parts:I:vols.1-3; II:vols.1-2, very clean, 111 woodblock illustrations, some double-page, contents very clean & solid, covers bit darkened. * FIRST & ONLY EDITION * . *** **** *** . . . JAPAN'S PREMIER SINGLE RESOURCE ON FALCONRY . . . PROFUSELY WOODBLOCK PRINT ILLUSTRATED . . * A major resource on Japanese falconry, the capture, taming & teaching of falcons, the grooming, feeding and culture of the bird of prey. Wonderful illustrations of falcons, the associated tools & equipment, stands, methods of warming in winter before the hunt, winter hunting, respect for. On the flushing to expose game birds to be hunted by the falcon, the kill, capture of the quarry. How to tether, hoods, master's gloves and other accoutrements, field work, breeding, bathing &c. . *** FIRST AND ONLY EDITION: This magnificent work was issued once in a single FIRST AND ONLY EDITION, and is complete in five volumes. The first series: 3 vols. were published in 1877, followed by the second series consisting of 2 volumes in 1879. Each volume has identifying title slips with: series 1: volumes jo, chu, ge in 3 parts]; series 2: the supplement jo, ge in 2 parts. . *** PRINTING TECHNIQUE: This marvelous work uses crushed mica flecks as an integral part of the hand-made Washi paper. These tiny flecks of mica give a sparkle to the illustrations, and are especially effective on the feather portion of the falcons. Mica gives a realistic and "high-tech" touch to the wood-cut printing technique. Printed by hand. . Per Dr. Shigeru Oikawa, the eminent scholar on Kyosai, in a letter from him to us in 1998, he discusses the dates of the set. He stated: "Takakagami was, I think, first published in 3 volumes with the title...cover was blue or black. Then came the last 2 volumes...this time the...color was yellow. The exact date is not known but the first edition in 3 volumes [first series in vols. 1,2,3,] could be 1860's and some examples of the full set in 5 volumes has the date of 1875. Kyosai had finished all of the drawings in 1860's but the publication seemed to be delayed..." . We have not found any supporting evidence to the above nor are these color covers cited in any bibliographies or other reference books stating any information about any 1875 edition. We have only found the 1877-79 edition. If the 1875 edition actually existed, by now it would have been listed in bibliographies. . *** KAWANABE KYOSAI: ARTIST & AUTHOR: . Per Brown: BLOCK PRINTING AND BOOK ILLUSTRATION, p.196. Kawanabe Kyosai aka.: Gyosai [1831-89] was a Kano painter, printmaker, illustrator, the son of a Samurai. Studied as a child under Utagawa Kuniyoshi, then in Tokyo under Maemura Towa, later under the most celebrated Kano Tohaku Chinshin who gave him the name Toiku at 19 years old. Loved drinking Sake, did some of his best work while under the influence, exhibited a the Vienna Intl. Exposition in 1873 & in Paris in 1883, where the West recognized his greatness. See below. . *** Josiah Conder recognized his great talent & wrote a grand reference book on him: PAINTINGS AND STUDIES, Tokyo 1911. His famous KYOSAI GADEN, [L. Dawes p.92] was widely appreciated in Europe, it even had English captions for the foreign market! This was Kyosai's attempt to show the world a wide variety of ancient Japanese & Chinese painting styles; it is a magnificent set. . *** COLLATION & SPECIAL ILLUSTRATING TECHNIQUES: None of the above reference books list details of a full set which was issued complete in 5 volumes: 3 + 2 volumes. supplement. The full list of the set titles appears in the back of vol. 5 where a catalogue of Kyosai's titles are listed by the publisher. This title was issued as a serial in 1877,the supplemental 2 volumes in 1879. . *** The collation of the set is: vol. 1,3,4,5, each have 10p.; vol. 2 has 11p. Every page is nicely illustrated, it contains 111 illustrations in all. Most copies have mica-flecked paper that gives a sparkle and sheen to the bird's feathers. This technique is difficult to create and its use is exceptionally RARE and expensive to produce ! . *** THE VARIETY OF BIRDS ILLUSTRATED: The Siberian goshawk or [falcon] O-taka [in Japanese] has been considered the best variety for use in falconry in Japan since ancient times. The Chinese call these birds Lao Ying. . * RARITY: Seldom found in the complete set of five volume in matching condition, clean & solid in collector's condition. . *** Color photos are posted to our website. . *** REFERENCE & BIBLIOGRAPHY: . N. Brown: BLOCK PRINTING AND BOOK ILLUSTRATION, p.196. * G. Schack: KYOSAIS FALKENJAGD, Hamburg, 1968. Harting: BIBLIOTHECA ACCIPITRARIA, 372. Thieme-Becker XXII, S 155. * L. Dawes: CATALOGUE OF JAPANESE ILLUSTRATED BOOKS, 1972 pp.93, 183. * H. Kerlin: CATALOGUE OF PRE-MEIJI JAPANESE BOOKS & MAPS IN PUBLIC COLLECTIONS IN THE NETHERLANDS, #327, #327A ON P.816. * Douglas: CATALOGUE OF JAPANESE PRINTED BOOKS & MSS. IN THE BRITISH MUSEUM, London 1904, p.24, #16035.b.18. * Mitchell: ILLUSTRATED BOOKS OF THE NANGA & MARUYAMA...Los Angeles, 1972, p.113. * Sorimachi: CATALOGUE OF JAPANESE ILLUSTRATED BOOKS... IN THE NEW YORK PUBLIC LIBRARY...#625, p.133 for a citation. * Briot, Alain: EHON TAKA KAGAMI article in Bulletin Association Franco-Japonaise numero 36, Avirl 1992 * [KAWANABE KYOSAI MEMORIAL MUSEUM].: EHON TAKA KAGAMI: vol. ix-2 article, 1985. . [KAWANABE KYOSAI MEMORIAL MUSEUM].: KAWANABE KYOSAI DOKU HON * Kawanabe Kyosai: KYOSAI GADEN * ANIMA: special number: Aigles et autours" Heibonsha autumn 75 * Bugniot, J.M. CHASSE AU VOL EN EXTREME-ORIENT. An article in LA CHASSE AU VOL AU FIL DES TEMPS, issued by Musee International de la Chasse-Glen, France 1994. pp.187-192, 235-237. * T. Clark: DEMON OF PAINTING: The Art of Kawanabe Kyosai, * Riccar Museum: KAWANABE KYOSAI HANGA HANBON TEN: Exhibition of Kawanabe Kyosai's Woodblock Books, Tokyo 1987; this illustrates several pages from this work. * L. Roberts: DICTIONARY OF JAPANESE ARTISTS p.100. * BUCKLAND, Rosina. et al. A JAPANESE MENAGERIE: Animal Pictures of Kawanabe Kyosai. * Josiah Conder: PAINTINGS AND STUDIES, Tokyo 1911. . *** NOTE: Please check our website as we have several of the above reference works in stock. . * .