Mr Gladstone's Washi. A Survey of Reports on the Manufacture of Paper in Japan. The Parkes Report of 1871.
Newtown, Pennsylvania: Bird & Bull Press, 1984.
Price: $350.00
About the item
First edition, number 152 of 500 copies. Illustrated, including fold-out plates and 20 full-color reproductions of Japanese watercolors depicting papermaking. Also a letterpress facsimile, on Japanese paper of 30 woodcut illustrations from the rare Kamisuki Chohoki, which were used by the watercolor artist as his model. With prospectus. LACKING the portfolio of plates. 1 vols. 4to. Original quarter maroon morocco, black leather label, lacking slipcase. Heaney A38.
Item #306097
Sir Harry Parks was sent to Japan by W.E. Gladstone, the English Prime Minister, to gather information on Japanese papermaking. His report, along with a large selection of handmade paper was sent to England in 1871, there soon buried. Hans Schmoller was told about this important cache of historical information in the 1970s and put together a fascinating history of Parkes, the German scientist, Engelbert Kaempfer, and accompanied the history with reprints of both the Parkes report and Kaempfer"s description of Japanese papermaking, the first such report. Also reproduced are twenty full size color reproductions of Japanese watercolors depicting papermaking.
