Oriental Art

Two watercolours on pith paper within ruled borders depicting Chinese actors, one with an added caption in Chinese, upper right, each 70 x 55.5cm. Framed and glazed.

Six oban tate-e woodblock prints of okubi-e (bust portraits) of beauties, titled Jidai kagami [Mirror of the Ages], documenting the fashions of former times (from the Keicho to the Meiji era) in chronological order, each sheet with a beautiful woman in sumptuous costume depicted at the lower section and a rectangular panel at the top which makes a reference to the era, some sheets with lacquer and embossed details, published by Matsuki Heikichi, variously dated Meiji 29, 30 and 31 (1896-8), all signed Yoshu Chikanobu. Each sheet approx. 36 x 23.7 cm (14 1/8 x 9 3/8 in), framed and glazed.

First edition, deluxe format, number 1 of 250 numbered copies signed by the author; photographic colour frontispiece and 29 similar plates of which 9 folding and including 2 plates on one sheet, 50 half-tone plates, captioned tissue guards, hinges reinforced [ý]as issued; publisher's brown pigskin with gilt roundel device to upper cover and lettered in gilt spine, t.e.g., others uncut, slightly rubbed at spine ends and fore-corners, but overall a very good, handsome copy.

Six oban tate-e woodblock prints of okubi-e (bust portraits) of beauties, titled Jidai kagami [Mirror of the Ages], documenting the fashions of former times (from the Keicho to the Meiji era) in chronological order, each sheet with a beautiful woman in sumptuous costume depicted at the lower section and a rectangular panel at the top which makes a reference to the era, some sheets with lacquer and embossed details, published by Matsuki Heikichi, variously dated Meiji 29, 30 and 31 (1896-8), all signed Yoshu Chikanobu. Each sheet approx. 36cm x 23.7cm (14 1/8in x 9 3/8in). Framed and glazed: 40 by 29cm.