Manuscript Book of Early Foreign Ship Visits to Japan and more including beautiful drawings of HMS Saracen and Brothers
[Japan] A very special manuscript book illustrated with quality hand-drawn and coloured images of foreign vessels that visited Japan in the early 19th century as well as people and associated items. Firstly are two drawings of HMS Saracen (built in 1812 and wrecked in 1828), one with the vessel in full sail and one without. The vessel was known to have stopped at Uraga, Kanagawa in 1822 and managed to receive water, food and firewood from the Japanese. The name 'Saracen Lodnon' [sic] is clearly visible on the rear. The dimensions of the ship are also given and the date Bunsei 5 (1822) is written which matches the timing of her visit. Next is an illustration of 'Brothers', another British vessel that also stopped at Uraga 1818 to try and trade with Japan but was unsuccessful. The dimensions of the ship are given along with the names in Japanese of her captain, Peter Gordon, and his crew. The following two pages show illustrations of guns, a cannon, swords, an oven, and three Westerners. Next is an illustration of a Chinese ship that visited Japan in 1807 along with her dimensions followed by depictions of three Chinese men. The next page has an illustration of a Dutch vessel at Nagasaki in 1641 followed by an illustration of a 'red-haired man' (Dutch). The last illustrations are of a Russian ship that visited in 1804. This would be the Nadezhda that was commanded by Nikolai Rezanov (1764-1807) and also unsuccessfully tried to start trade with Japan. The final illustrations shows Russian soldiers in armour. Written inside the front cover and on the lower right of the rear cover is the name '....oka Kōnosuke', (possibly Muraoka), who may have written this manuscript and/or was its owner at some point. The cover is titled, 'Ikoku sen no zu' in Japanese ['Illustrations of Foreign Ships'].
Artist unknown. c1825.
11 leaves. 27.2 x 20.2cm.
In good condition. Wear and some staining and marks to covers. Minor creasing. Internally good with some minor worm trails mostly at the top and bottom but a few small areas of worming affecting small areas of some illustrations. m36071665
