THINGS SEEN IN JAPAN

N.P. [Tokyo]: [K. Ogawa], N.D. [1907]. First edition, rare complete copy. With 47 fine color-tinted collotype photographic plates of Japanese scenes and attractions by Japan’s leading contemporary photographer, they are printed on one side of heavy stock plates captioned in English, each with tissue guards, on the facing page is descriptive text in English, French and Russian, also with two color maps. Oblong folio, 250 x 360 mm., bound in green silk-covered boards embroidered with flowers and the work “Japan” on the upper cover in multiple colors, fine endpapers decorated with Japanese watercolours. 50 leaves, unpaginated. An especially fine copy, complete, the plates perfect with all tissue guards intact, no spotting whatsoever, the binding in lovely condition with just a touch of age evidence at the spine tips. RARE FIRST EDITION AND A beautiful early Japanese touring book produced for foreign visitors in order to promote Japanese tourism and featuring beautifully hand-tinted plates by Ogawa (1860-1929), Japan’s leading photographer of the period, as well as printer and publisher. He was a pioneer in photomechanical printing and photography in the Meiji era. In 1882, he moved to Boston where he took courses in portrait photography and the dry plate process. He also studied collotype printing at the Albert Type Company. Returning to Japan in 1882, he opened the first photography studio in Tokyo.