Nakamura HOCHU (Fl. late 18th to early 19th c.)

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The rarest of rare books: Korin gafu, “An Album of Pictures by Korin.” The first of the major Rimpa books and “… must be numbered among the most exceptional picture-books in the world.” ( Hillier, The Art of the Japanese Book, volume two, p. 657.) The illustrations copied by Hochu from Korin. Two volumes incomplete: Missing 4½ pages. Volume one: One double page preface plus 13 double page illustrations; volume two: 7 ½ double page illustrations with one double page postscript plus one double page colophon. This is the extremely rare first edition published by Omiya Yohei, colophon dated Kyowa mizunoe inu no toshi ( Dog year 1802 ). With de-luxe hand-colouring and yellow covers. There are few extant examples and they show considerable variation ( a complete copy being in the Beres collection, Paris ). The book was reprinted in 1826 ( with blue covers and lacking hand-colouring ) and then copied in the late 19th century.

Volume one ( ken ):

One double page preface/ One double page Cranes/Turtles/Plum Tree/6 Immortal poets/ Peonies/2 Taoist immortals/Dandelion and blue flowers/3 puppies/Poets in boat/Hollyhocks/3 rats/7 Sages of the bamboo grove/Fuji ( this illustration normally in volume two ).

Volume two ( kon):

One double page Musicians and No dancer/One half page Noblemen crossing bridge/Chrysanthemum/Morning glory and red flower/Jo and Uba/ 4 Deer/Blind man’s buff/Daikoku and Ebisu/One double page postscript/One double page colophon.

Original yellow covers with title slips. Minor toning, wormage and marks, but generally very good. Ex Biedermann collection ( seal inside slip case and another unidentified seal in slip case and colophon ).

Status: Sold