KA CHO ZU FU: ILLUSTRATED ALBUM OF FLOWERS & BIRDS.

[Japan n.d. ca.1900]. A silk covered accordion folded album, all edge gilt, some leading edges mended, covers bit worn on edges, 48 full color woodblock prints tipped-in, Japanese index, prints 29.5 x 18.5 cm.,quite nice, cloth Chitsu case. . *** **** *** . . THE COMPLETE ALBUM . . . WITH 48 OBAN SIZE COLOR WOODBLOCK PRINTS . . . ILLUSTRATING FLOWERS, FRUITING TREES & BIRDS . . . ALWAYS RARE WHEN FOUND COMPLETE . * This excellent work depicts a wide variety of birds in their natural setting perched & hunting prey among the branches & colorful flowers & fruit. . This is complete as issued and contains 48 color woodblock prints. The book comes with a separate title page, followed by a list of all forty-eight prints. . Books with this large quantity of individual tipped in color woodblock prints are seldom found complete & intact. The majority have been broken up for individual framing. This work was issued as a posthumous edition. . A truly spectacular color example of stunning birds, flowers, fruits &c... . *** Color photos are posted to our website. . *** THE ARTIST: KITAO Shigemasa [1739-1820]: Good biographical data on Kitao is found in Roberts below. . The preface date is 1804. . *** THE COPIES: . 1. Copy 1 is in the original green silk swastika patterned cloth. The contents are exceptionally bright & clean, no issues. . The cover corners and edges as usual are rubbed, the contents remains clean and solid. Each color print is as issued, gently tipped-in at top edge. . This copy is contained in a recent indigo-blue cloth folding [5 part] Chitsu case with 2 bone clasps. The Chitsu is in excellent condition, the front cover title slip is a color facsimile. . 2. Copy 2 is bound in indigo-blue cotton cloth, as usual the corners and edges are rubbed, the spine is tied with two green ribbons, and a hand-brushed title slip on the front cover. . The contents are exceptionally bright & clean, no issues. Most pages have a tissue guard before each print, one print per page. . *** REFERENCES: . L. Roberts: DICTIONARY OF JAPANESE ARTISTS, p.145. * H.H. BARTLETT: JAPANESE BOTANY DURING THE PERIOD OF WOOD-BLOCK PRINTING, pp.228-234 * Leonard G. Dawes: CATALOGUE OF JAPANESE ILLUSTRATED BOOKS, p.6 for biographical information, p.127-127 for details of the first edition: SHASHIN KACHO ZUE, which is the same book, but a later edition. He also provides good details on Kitao, and the KACHO tradition of "Flower & Bird" painting, with illustrations on pp.90-101. . * .