Japanese Marks and Seals

By James Lord Bowes
Joint Author of Keramic Art of Japan

Part I.  Pottery
Part II.  Illuminated Mss. and Printed Books
Part III.  Lacquer , Enamels , Metal , Wood , Ivory , &c.

Published By Henry Sotheran & Co.
London
1882
( MDCCCLXXXII )
Printed by D. Marples & Co., Liverpool
First Edition

Hardcover.
The binding is in poor condition however this is a signed fine leather binding.
Bookbinder signed " P. B. Sanford " at the upper-left corner of the front endpaper.
( see the photos )
This book was originally issued in red cloth, but around 1900 was sent to bookbinder P. B. Sanford to be rebound into half morocco leather.
The Sanford Company of Bookbinders was located on Bedford Street in Boston, and specialized in fine bindings of levant , morocco and calf.

Marbled endpapers.
Top page edge gilt.
(14) + Map Plate + 379 pages.
Indexed at the rear.

Dedicated by direct permission to His Imperial Majesty The Mikado , by the author.

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More than 750 illustrations of Japanese marks and seals.
Many additional illustrations showing Japanese language characters , Japanese Zodiac characters , Year Periods , etc.

Double-page Map Plate, in color, showing the Empire of Japan , with seats of various Manufacturers , Railway , etc.

Marks and Seals of numerous Japanese pottery makers ; Hizen , Satsuma , Kaga , Kioto , Owari , Ise , Tokio , Ota , Bizen , Mutsu , Kii , Yamato , Awaji , Soma , Mino , Chikuzen , Idzumo , Idzumi  , Higo , Omi , Yamashiro , Nagato .

35 pages of marks and seals on Japanese Illuminated Manuscripts and Printed Books.

Over 65 pages of marks and seals on Japanese Lacquer Ware , Cloisonne Enamel , Metal work , Wood and Ivory Carving , etc.

Lists of Japanese Zodiac and Year Periods.

Index at the rear.

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Author James Lord Bowes (1834-1899) was a wealthy Liverpool ( UK ) wool broker, art collector and patron of the arts, author and benefactor.
He was an authority on Japan and its art and authored several works on the subject.
In 1888 he was appointed the first foreign-born Japanese Consul in Great Britain, a post he held until his sudden death in 1899 at the age of 65.
In 1890, on the grounds of Streatlam Tower ( his home in the Toxteth area of Liverpool ), he opened to the public the first dedicated museum of Japanese art in the western world.

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Condition.
Rough.
This is the remains of a P. B. Sanford signed fine leather binding.
Lacks the leather spine cover entirely.
Both covers are detached but present.
This was printed on fairly thick paper, however the paper has gone brittle ( which is typical of this book ).
Many pages are detached but present.
Some pages are very heavily chipped around the edges.
The marbled endpapers are still present and in good condition ( still attached to the covers ).
The color frontispiece is present but detached.
The double-page Empire Of Japan map plate is present and in good condition.

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Very rough condition, but an important resource on the subject of Japanese art.

First Edition, over 140 years old.

Carefully packed for shipment to the buyer.