Arcana:

(MAKI, HAKU). Brannen, Noah & William Elliott. New York & Tokyo: Walker and Company & John Weatherhill, Inc., 1969. First Edition 1/150 Deluxe. 4to. 1/4 Leather Over Boards in Box. Illustrated Book. Near Fine/No Jacket - As Issued. 78pp, 21 illustrations in woodcut. Text in English. In a protective clear acetate dustwrapper. With a bibliography. Published in 1969, this is Noah Brannen and William Elliott's significant translation of the "Kinkafu" scroll - a unique transcription of twenty-one ancient Japanese song-poems that was rediscovered in 1924 in the collection of rare books and manuscripts belonging to Prince Konoe that were sent to the Kyoto University Library for safe-keeping following the devastating earthquake and fires of 1923. This spectacular example of Post-War Japanese bookmaking contains English language typographic transcriptions of each of the twenty-one poems along with two scholarly essays on the form. These are printed by letterpress on handmade kyokushi paper and bound in gold foil-stamped white one-quarter top-grain goatskin over hemp-covered boards and housed in a cedar slipcase. The piece de resistance however is the twenty-one SIGNED AND NUMBERED color woodcuts commissioned from the noted late sosaku hanga artist Haku Maki that are matted and face each poem. A bright, well-preserved example of the exceedingly uncommon "enlarged, deluxe format first English language edition" that is limited to one hundred and fifty NUMBERED (61/150) copies SIGNED AND STAMPED by Haku Maki on the rear colophon as issued showing a few minor nicks, slight wear, and some mild discoloration to the white leather spine. It has been priced accordingly. PLEASE NOTE: Additional shipping costs are required for this item beyond our standard rates due to its weight and value - we will inform you of the applicable amount at time of purchase. LC 71-82642 Inventory Number: 024993