Kokon shikishi no fu 古今色紙之譜 [A Collection of East Asian Decorative Paper Samples from Ancient to Modern Times]

Hundreds of paper samples tipped-in, five plates of facsimiles, & 4 plates (which serve as paste-down endpapers). 106; 130 pp. on folding leaves. Two vols. 8vo, orig. orange semi-stiff wrappers, woodcut title-slips on upper wrappers, orig. stitching. [Tokyo: Privately Printed], colophon dated 1963.


First edition, limited to 100 numbered copies, signed, luxuriously printed throughout on handmade paper, of this magnificent and rare decorative paper specimen book. Seki (1892-1979), an executive at a Japanese paper company, was a leading historian of Asian papermaking. These two volumes contain decorative paper samples — including examples of printing and manuscripts from the earliest times (e.g., hemp paper from the eighth century) as well as modern paper specimens — from China, Japan, and Korea. Each sample is carefully described in the accompanying printed text. The author also discusses at length the history of papermaking in East Asia with descriptions of papermaking techniques (illustrated on the endpaper plates). With an excellent index. Errata leaf and prospectus laid-in.


Fine set in the original chitsu. Minor worming towards end of Vol. II. With the seal of Obama Toshie 小汀利得 (1889–1972), journalist, politician, and well-known book collector.