Buke chōhōki 武家重寶記 [武家重宝記]

  • This material is held at
  • Reference
      GB 59 16053.b.29
  • Dates of Creation
      1694
  • Language of Material
      Japanese
  • Physical Description
      5 volumes Condition: Generally good. No worm damage, but some soiled folios and a few stains. Impression: Atozuri, from blocks showing marked signs of wear. Illustrations: A total of 14 full-page sumizuri illustrations, 6 double-page (mihiraki) and 8 single, distributed as follows: (maki 1) 1 double, 3 single; (2) 1 double, 2 single; (3) 1 double; (4) 2 double, 1 single; (5) 1 double, 2 single. In addition, the work contains a large number of small woodcuts and diagrams depicting military accoutrements, arrowheads and feathers, horse trappings, falcons, etc. One illustration in maki 4, ff. 16-17, shows a cannon being fired. Seals of ownership: Oblong red seal, □秀園圖書, on first page of each maki. Small red seal in a frame of bronze vessel shape, 星埜, on inner back cover of each maki. One oblong red seal (unidentified) on first page of maki 1.

Scope and Content

Author/compiler: Namura Jōhaku 苗村丈伯, physician, fl. late-17th century. Preface of this work signed Sōdenshi 艸田子. Imprint: Kyōto, Yoshinaga Shichirōbē; Ōsaka, Kariganeya Shōbē, Genroku 7, 1694. Kanki on fol. 20b of maki 5 reads: 元禄七年甲戌正月吉日 / 洛陽書林堂 / 吉永七郎兵衛 / 大坂・・・ / 雁金屋庄兵衛 / 板. Description: 5 kan, 5 satsu, in a box. (Maki 1) ff. 20; (2) ff. 20; (3) ff. 20; (4) ff. 20; (5) ff. 20. 22.4 x 16 cm. Fukurotoji. Blockprint. Printing frame 18.7 x 14.4 cm. (average). Single-line borders. No fishtail design on hanshin. Hiragana-majiri text with printed furigana. 10 lines to page, 23-25 characters to line. Original pale fawn covers, with original printed title slips on maki 2-5. (Manuscript gedai on maki 1.) Printed gedai: E-iri (tsunogaki) buke chōhōki 繪入 (角書) 武家重寶記. Title from naidai at head of each maki. Hashiragaki: 武家重宝記 + maki no. + folio no. Edition: The first and only pre-modern edition. Contents: A manual for bushi warriors, comprising codes of conduct (maki 1), archery (maki 2), armour (maki 3), weapons (maki 4) and horsemanship and falconry (maki 5).

Access Information

Not Public Record(s)

Unrestricted

Acquisition Information

Acquired by purchase, Feb. 1960.

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 19. Military arts 武術

Bibliography

Nihon koten bungaku daijiten 日本古典文学大辞典, vol. 5, p. 248; Descriptive catalogue of Japanese and Chinese illustrated books in the Ryerson Library of the Art Institute of Chicago , p. 84.