Author/compiler: Unknown. Imprint: N.p., n.d. [Keichō-Kan'ei period, c. 1615-25]. See under Edition below. Kango reads: 伊勢物語新刊就余需勘挍抑京極黄 ／ 門一本之奥書云此物語之根源古人之説 / 不同云 如今以天福年所被與孫女本正之 ／ 然而猶恐有訂挍之遺欠也更圖畫巻中 ／ 之趣分以爲上下是雖不足動好女人情 ／ 聊爲令悦稚童眼目而已 ／ 慶長戊申仲夏上浣. Description: 2 kan, formerly in 2 satsu, now rebound in 1 vol. (western style). (Maki 上) ff. 51; (maki 下) ff. 64 (folios numbered not on hanshin but on inner (binding) edge, thus obscuring most numbers). 25.5 x 18.6 cm. Fukurotoji. Blockprint. Printing frame 22-22.5 x 16 cm. No borders. No printed hanshin. Hiragana-majiri text, with many kana ligatured in imitation of movable type. 9 lines to page, 18 characters to line. Front cover of maki 上 only, printed with a seashore design of waves, boats and pine trees, blue on white, c. mid-Edo period. No title slip. Manuscript gedai in a late-Edo hand: Ise monogatari 伊勢物語 乾. Bound in half-leather, western style. Text and illustrations printed on paper of varying colours. The colours are strong, almost harsh; and the colours used are pink, blue, yellow and lilac. Edition: Blockprinted edition which does not rank as a true Saga-bon. Although the blocks were engraved in deliberate imitation of the movable type edition, the blockcutting lacks finesse and skill. New blocks were cut for illustrations and kango from the Keichō 13 (1608) edition. The date of printing is uncertain, but can fairly certainly be assigned to late-Keichō or early-Kan'ei period. Contents: A collection of lyrical episodes, combining prose and waka poetry, composed in the mid-10th century by an unknown author of the Imperial Court. Formerly attributed to the 9th century poet Ariwara no Narihira 在原業平.
Ise monogatari 伊勢物語
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- ReferenceGB 59 Or.65.c.1
- Dates of Creation[1615-1625]
- Language of MaterialJapanese
- Physical Description1 volume Condition: Good, apart from some soiling of folios at lower fore-edge. Impression: Atozuri, both in text and illustrations. The former may be due as much to lack of care in engraving and presswork as to wear on blocks. Illustrations: A total of 49 sumizuri woodcuts, 25 in maki 上 and 24 in maki 下, in yamatoe style. This is the earliest work of classical Japanese literature to contain printed illustrations. Seals of ownership: Small circular red seal and square red seal (obliterated) on fol. 1a, otherwise blank. Square red seal on last page, following kango.
Scope and Content
Access Information
Not Public Record(s)
Unrestricted
Acquisition Information
Acquired from Ernest M. Satow, 22 Sept. 1884.
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 a. Early monogatari 古物語
Bibliography
Nihon koten bungaku daijiten 日本古典文学大辞典, vol. 1, pp. 153-6; Kokatsujiban no kenkyū 古活字版の研究, pp. 430-40, 855; Sagabon zukō 嵯峨本図考, pp. 23-41, pl. 7-27; Hōsho yoroku 訪書余録, vol. 6, pl. 27 (1-3).