Author/compiler: Unknown. Imprint: N.p., n.d. [c. Kanbun period, 1661-73] . No kanki. Description: 3 kan, 3 satsu, in a chitsu case of thin board. (上) ff. 19; (中) ff. 1-8, 9 / 10, 11 / 12, 13-19; (下) ff. 1-8, 9 / 10, 11-25, 25 [repeated] . 27.3 x 18.7 cm. Fukurotoji. Blockprint. Printing frame 22.1 x 16.8 cm. (average). Single-line borders. No fishtail design on hanshin. Hiragana-majiri text, with printed dakuten and kutōten. 14 lines to page, 24-26 characters to line. Original dark blue covers, with embossed design of diagonal latticework and peonies. Original title slips on left with printed gedai: E-iri 繪入 (tsunogaki 角書) Shichinin bikuni Jō (chū, ge) 七人ひくに 上 (中, 下). Title from naidai at head of each maki. Hashiragaki: Shichinin 七人 + jō (chū, ge) 上 (中, 下) + folio no. Edition: Undated edition, most probably published in Kanbun period (1661-73). The first blockprinted edition was published by Sugita Kanbē 杉田勘兵衞 in Kan'ei 12 寛永十二年 (1635), with 10 lines to the page. Contents: A kana-zōshi novel set in the years 1345-50 of the Northern Dynasty (Nanbokuchō period), recounting the tragic life stories of seven nuns.
Shichinin bikuni 七人びくに
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- ReferenceGB 59 16055.c.39
- Dates of Creation[1661-1673]
- Language of MaterialJapanese
- Physical Description3 volumes Condition: A few brown stains and soiled leaves, otherwise good. Impression: Sharp and clear, near-shozuri. Illustrations: A total of 19 single-page sumizuri woodcuts, distributed as follows: (maki 上) fol. 2a, 10a, 13a, 15a, 18a; (maki 中) fol. 2a, 6a, 9 / 10a, 13a, 15a, 17a; (maki 下) fol. 2a, 5a, 8a, 12a, 15a, 18a, 21a, 24a. Illustrations differ in style from those of the Kan'ei 12 (1635) edition, indicating that both text (14 lines to page) and illustrations were printed from blocks newly cut for the present undated edition. Seals of ownership: Oblong red seal, Sōkeikan 叢桂館, with a smaller red seal above, on first page of maki 上, 中 and 下. Oblong black kashihon'ya stamp on mikaeshi of each maki.
Scope and Content
Access Information
Not Public Record(s)
Unrestricted
Acquisition Information
Acquired by purchase, 11 May 1959.
Other Finding Aids
Kenneth Gardner, Descriptive Catalogue of Japanese books in the British Library printed before 1700 (London and Tenri, 1993).C. Japanese works 和書 5. Literature - fiction 国文-小説 f. Kana-zōshi 仮名草子
Bibliography
Nihon koten bungaku daijiten 日本古典文学大辞典, vol. 3, p. 207; Kana-zōshi 仮名草子, vol. 1, pp. 15-6; Edo jidai shoki eiri-bon hyakushu 江戸時代初期絵入本百種, pp. 18, 137; Kindai Nihon bungaku taikei 近代日本文学大系, vol. 1, pp. 14, 171-226.