The Portraits of the Forty-Seven Ronin Large format woodblock printed book by Tanaka Umesaburo
with the Biographical Sketch of each 'Ronin'. Price One dollar.
Edited and Published by Tanaka Mumesaburo [Umesaburo]. Yokohama. Meiji 18 (1885).
First and largest edition of this book which also was later published on crepe paper in 1893. We have seen a variant that shows Tanaka's given name as Usaburo but the correct name is Umesaburo. Apparently, 'Umesaburo' was actually pronounced, 'Mumesaburo' so the fact that both romanized spellings are given in this book may not be so surprising. Contains 48 colour woodblock prints, 47 being of the Ronin along with their brief biographies and one print of their master, Lord Asano. Some prints have metallic accents to the swords. The large woodblock printed foldout in the rear measuring approx. 74 x 38cm is also very impressive. Woven patterned cloth over wood covers. An impressive volume.
58pp. 25.8 x 18.5cm.
In very good condition. Spine covering not present though holding tight by inner paper over mull spine. Lower corners of wooden covers bumped with minor loss. Internally very good with just a couple of pages separated at leading edge. Some minor transfer of metallic paint used to facing page. Gift inscription on ffep to, 'Alice Milton from Aunt Blanche. Yokohama, Japan. March 3rd'. b33010825
