Beschreibung:

Japanese School, 19th century Senshu No Hana [1000 Flowers] Tokyo: [c. 1862]. Volume III only ( of 3), 8° (242 x 165mm). 4pp. text. 47 coloured wood-block plates on 54 leaves (including 7 'diptych' plates), with intermittent western-style numbering to the head of most pages. (Some light spotting to extremities.) Stitched with cloth head-bands within limp blue paper-covered boards, later calligraphic title on mounted section on upper cover (some slight scuffing and discolouration), modern blue cloth box, blue morocco lettering-piece. A fine example of work from the pre-Meiji but post-Perry period which is more usually known as 'The useful plants of Japan'. The volume is presented in the traditional Japanese style with the leaves concertined together, stab-sewn and with no spine to the binding. With the exception of the numbering the text is in Japanese characters throughout, each plate has integral text which gives a picture of the flower or flowers depicted. The selection is wide ranging and includes: Prunus; Gaulteria; Hepatica nobilis; Magnolia liliflora; Commelina; Styrax; Genista; Paeonia suffruticosa; Iris japonica; Clematis; Clematis florida 'Sieboldiana'; Hypericum ?chinensis; Houttynia; Hypericum; Azalea (Rhododendron simsii); Convolvulus; Aquilegia odorata; Paeonia lacyifolia; Knotweed (Polygonum); Trillium; Lilium bulbiferum; Dianthus plumarius; Trigidia pavona; Lilium ?regale; Nelumbo nucifera (Lotus); Nuphar lutea; Ixora; Dianthus chinensis; Magnolia; Gardenia angusta; Bletilla striata; Iris striata; Daisy (Callistephus?); Slipper orchid (Cypripedium); Hemerocallis (Day lily); Curcuma; Hosta; Dianthus; Water chestnut (Trapa natans); Jasminium; Strawberry (Fragaria sp.).