Rare books from Rare Oriental Book Company, ABAA, ILAB - AN ART AND INTELLECTUAL PROPERTY COMPANY

[Japan n.d. before 1890]. Silk-brocade hand-scroll, painted in colors on paper, backed with cloth, carved ends, silk- ribbon tie,23.5 x 240 cm. long, 4 each paintings ca. 50 x 19 cm, the scroll is 19 x 209 cm. * SUPERB ORIGINAL PAINTING !* . *** *** *** . . COLOR PAINTINGS OF . . . KYOSAI'S ZANY PERSPECTIVE ON LOVE-MAKING . . . LICENTIOUSNESS OF GROUP SEX . . . A HIGHLY SUPERB & STUNNINGLY FASCINATING UNIQUE PAINTING ! . . . A HORIZONTAL HAND SCROLL . * This work consists of four very zany color painted erotic scenes involving a number of men and women intertwined. As usual it reads from right to left. . This is a spring-time [Shun] celebration and Hana-mi [Cherry Blossom viewing] festival time. It shows a curtained area within the blossoming cherry trees, and a small group of men and women, all of which have far too much to drink. All the people display pinkness in their face, being somewhat drunk, It can also indicate sexual excitement. More or less an expression of all concerned ! . After… Read More

[China c.1820]. Wood covers, accordion folded album, 15 fine color painted leaves each on silk, pastels colors, executed with a most steady & fine line, minor soil, covers slightly checked, silk border mounted, album size is 7.5 x 26 cm.RARE **** A LOVELY SUITE OF 15 FINE COLOR QING DYNASTY EROTIC CHINESE PAINTINGS. *** Painting size is ca.11 x 20 cm. Each painting shows a couple engaged in or preparing to enjoy sexual pleasure, some with genitals exposed, each painted with the most delicate and beautiful colors, as their faces display a pink flush with excitement. * The girls all have "Golden Lotus" feet or bound feet, with tiny shoes tied on, they are all dressed in lovely, flowing gown, with natural garden setting in the background, with colorful flowers & trees. * 1. The first scene shows a very young couple preparing to make love. * 2. The next is of a young girl using a dildo, while a male lover looks on with erect penis. * 3. The third shows a girl sitting on her lover's… Read More

London 1925-28, Benn. Black & gold blind stamped cloth,folio with 300 color, 500 b.w. photos, total of 718p., text+plates deckle edge paper, 32 x 46 cm., superbly illustrated work. FIRST & ONLY LIMITED NUMERED EDITION OF 560-725 COPIES. RARE This the stunningly famous and fabled collection representing some of the best ceramic pieces ever held in private hands. The complete set of 11 books are seldom found complete, and uniformly bound. There are several copies that are signed by the authors and also hand-numbered. *** A VERY RARE AND COMPLETE SET OF ELEVEN UNIFORMLY BOUND BOOKS . The first 5 vols. are devoted to pottery & porcelains from the Chou to Ch'ing periods. Wares covered: Ming, Ju, Kuan, Ko, Lung-Chuan, Chien, Chun,Ting, Tz'u Chou, wares. Vol. 6 is on Corean & Persian wares. * The next 3 vols. are by W.P. Yetts on Chinese & Korean bronzes, sculpture, jades, jewelry & misc. objects. * The last 2 vols. are by L. Binyon: CHINESE FRESCOES and CHINESE, KOREAN &… Read More

N.p. ca 1870, n.p. Blue cloth covers,accordion folded, title slip, all edge silver gilt, 11 x 15.5 cm., covers bit faded, contents clean, 17 color erotic woodcut illustrations, a miniature album, complete as issued. AN OBSCURE EDITION This like other erotic albums of the time were not sanctioned by the Shogun, nor were they authorized for publication with the "censor's seal." These books were printed and published secretly, issued in small numbers and either sold or distributed discreetly. * "Shun-pon" or erotic books were used as gifts to couples on their wedding night, commonly called "Pillow Books" or "Makura Zoshiki." A euphuism for licentious books enjoyed across all spectrum of Japanese society, commonly bought, sold or traded on the "black" market. Because they were officially "banned" by the Shogunate, artists, wood block carvers and printers risked severe punishment if caught, these books were driven "underground" but… Read More

[Edo ? c.1700-50, n.p.]. Brown & silver covered boards, very clean, 7 double-page b.w. erotic woodblock illustrations, mounted on mica flecked paper, 18 x 25 cm., accordion folded illustration size: 31 x 12 cm. FIRST & ONLY UNRECORDED COPY! . *** *** *** . . . A VERY RARE UNRECORDED EARLY BOOK . . . A BIZARRE & UNIQUE EROTIC BOOK . . . UNSIGNED, BUT CLEARLY THE WORK OF A MASTER ARTIST . *** BY SUKENOBU OR HIS :SCHOOL: . A unique and hitherto unfound odd and most unusual erotic book of the early-mid-18th century. One of the most bizarre erotic books ever done in Japan. . The graphically explicit work portrays men and women with genitals on their foreheads, engaged in heterosexual and homosexual intercourse. There is no other book with such unusual and strange illustrations. . *** . THE TITLE: THE LEGEND OF AMANJAKU or AMAN NO JAKU: [Chinese Title: TIAN XIE GUI YUN] . THE MEANING OF AMANJAKU: Japanese Buddhist literature is abundant with variations on the theme of "Aman-No-Jaku,"… Read More

[China] Xuande 8 [1433]. Accordion folded Sutra, 10.5 x 29.8 cm., extended length about 15 meters long, [140]p., profuse illustrations, with 94 pages illustrations, balance of text in Chinese, printed on fine mica coated paper.A RARE EXAMPLE . *** **** *** . . MIAO FO LIEN HUA CHING: THE LOTUS SUTRA . . . THE MOST FAMOUS OF ALL BUDDHIST SUTRAS . . . DATED XUANDE 8TH YEAR = 1433 . . * A superb and marvelous folded scroll, lavishly illustrated with large, multi-page illustrations. This is the most famous and celebrated illustrated version of ZONG XIANG QUAN YIN JING, [Shi Wu Quan: Complete Chapter 15] i.e.: LOTUS SUTRA HUI XIANG GUAN YIN JING: SUTRA OF THE VISION OF GUAN YIN. Also known as: MIAO FA LIEN HWA KIN KWAN SHI YIN PHU SA PHU MAN PHIN KIN: The Saddharma Pundarika Sutra. The E SO KANNON KYO, or HOKKE-KYO or DAI NICHI KYO in Japanese. . * First known in Chinese as TA-JIH QING [The Great Sun Scripture] then after 725 A.D. known as the Fa-hua Qing [Lotus Sutra] or the ZONG XIANG GUAN YIN JING, and… Read More

[China n.d. ca. late 18-early 19 century]. Silk mounted hand scroll, brocade gold silk cover, purple silk ribbon tie, lovely lacquer & mother-of-pearl ends, 2.2 meters long, 25 cm. wide continuous color painting on paper, stiff backing. *** *** *** . . . A GREAT QING DYNASTY HAND-PAINTED EROTIC SCROLL . . . SIGNED BY THE ARTIST XU, WITH HIS SEAL . . This is a charming and lovely hand painted scroll from the Great Qing Dynasty [1644-1912]. It shows ten "positions" of making love. The work begins as a series of views showing a couple engaging in different positions of love- making: while reclining on a wooden lounge. . * Each view shows the couple in degrees of partial nudity, revealing their genitals and the shows the woman's lovely "Golden Lotus" or bound feet. In between some views are flowers, or a young girl attendant who assisting in pushing the master while he pumps the object of his affection, also shown is a pair of tiny Pekinese dogs making love. The last scene… Read More

[China 1900-1912, Various Publishers]. Brown cloth album, ribbon tied, spine, 23.1 x 13 cm., gold stamped cover title, brown deckle-edge pages, very good, clean condition, 38 various photos & photo postcards, color and black & white. . *** **** *** . . PUBLIC BEHEADING IN CHINA . . KOWLOONG [sic for Kowloon, Hong Kong], CANTON, MANCHURIA, . . . NANKING, HANKOW, TIELING & TIENTSIN-PEKING . . * A stunning collection of bizarre and unusual images, seldom found. There were probably thousands of images of all walks of life of China done from about 1890-1945. While we have been an antiquarian Asian specialist dealers for 50 years, we have seen very few images of this subject, and never had an album with such a rounded and cohesive group on the subject of punishment, beheading and torture. . The Chinese legal system demanded severe punishment for heinous crimes, crimes against Confucianism and the state. The government exacted retribution in the most severe form of social and legal justice. . The… Read More

Osaka 1804, Hanfu Shorin. Stitched yellow stiff wrs.,30 vol. set, 19.7 x 26.5 cm.,title slips,2 indigo-blue folding cloth Chitsu cases, bone clasps, clean covers a few dusty,contents very clean & bright, complete set. RARE FIRST & ONLY EDITION . *** **** *** . . THE MOST COMPREHENSIVE BOTANICAL EVER DONE IN JAPAN . . . THIS IS THE MOST FAMOUS SINGLE & COMPREHENSIVE . . . LOST OF ALL KNOWN JAPANESE PLANTS . . . RESEARCH BEGUN IN 1793, 30 VOLS. PUBLISHED IN 1804 . * This famous, stunning and copiously illustrated work remains one of the most important botanicals ever done in Japan. It is considered the most comprehensive and reliable work on the subject ever done in Japan. Complete in 30 volumes. . * This superb work was initiated in Kansei 5th year [1793] by order of Shimazu Shigehide [1745-1833], the Daimyo of Satsuma, the Feudal Lord [Tycoon]. This area is now Kagoshima Prefecture, Kyushu. The work was edited by Soh, Han, [aka.: by his "studio" or "go" name: Soh… Read More

[Japan n.d.ca.1860's]. Green silk brocade cloth covers, very clean, solid copy, 8.5 x 12 cm., accordion folded, painted on both sides, 12 double-page erotic color paintings, all edges gilt, on thick album leaves. OBSCURE CHARMING WORK . *** *** *** . . . A SUPERB POLYCHROME PAINTED MINIATURE EROTIC ALBUM . . . TWELVE DOUBLE-PAGE STUNNING EROTIC SCENES . . *** A miniature Japanese hand-painted erotic album. As was the custom at the time, these albums were seldom signed or signed with a pseudonym to hide the true artist's name. . This stunning and skillfully painted album is most likely the anonymous work of a famous Ukiyo-e artist, executed in polychrome with the utmost detail. . *** . THE TITLE: EN SHO HI CHO: SECRET BOOK OF BIG LEAVES AND THE SWALLOW: Is a play on words, the "big leaf" means the vagina, and the "swallow" refers to the penis, and of course most of the erotic books contain the character "Hi" [Himitsu = secret] secret or hidden book in the title. .… Read More

New York 1949, Putnam. Green cloth, 375p., end paper maps, b.w. frontis of Chennault, 18 b.w.photos, 14 x 22 cm.,a very bright, clean & solid copy, excellent bit worn dust jacket, in Mylar protector, clipped. * RARE FIRST ORIGINAL EDITION * . *** **** *** . . THIS IS THE R A R E ORIGINAL FIRST EDITION 1949 . . . WRITTEN BY CHENNAULT, EDITED BY ROBERT HOTZ . . . IT CONTAINS CHENNAULT'S FIVE PAGE FOREWORD . . . LAVISHLY ILLUSTRATED WITH 18 ORIGINAL WAR PHOTOGRAPHS . . . & THREE COMBAT ZONE AREA MAPS . * This superb book covers the thoughts, plans and tactics Chennault employed against the Japanese air forces. His tactics were taught to his pilots, and were ultimately a major part of American success over the larger and stronger Japanese air force. . Chennault wrote a stunning five page "Foreword" to this book in January, 1949, Shanghai, just after the defeat of the Japanese. His warnings about allowing the Communists to take over China were far ahead of 'his times' and not… Read More

Berlin [1928], Eigenbrodler. Pictorial stiff wrs., [32]p.,32 black & white full page photos of young nude Chinese girls & women, 20 x 27cm., FINE COPY, very RARE in original dust jacket in mylar protector. FIRST ENGLISH LANGUAGE EDITION . *** **** *** . . AN EXCEPTIONALLY RARE BOOK IN ANY LANGUAGE . . . FIRST EDITION IN ENGLISH IN THE RARE ORIGINAL DUST JACKET . . . 32 BLACK & WHITE PHOTOGRAPHIC STUDIES OF NUDE CHINESE . . . YOUNG GIRLS AND YOUNG WOMEN . * . *** **** *** . . AN EXCEPTIONALLY RARE BOOK IN ANY LANGUAGE . . . FIRST EDITION IN ENGLISH IN THE RARE ORIGINAL DUST JACKET . . . 32 BLACK & WHITE PHOTOGRAPHIC STUDIES OF NUDE CHINESE . . . YOUNG GIRLS AND YOUNG WOMEN . * Beautifully bound in yellow stiff boards with red printed scissor-cut decoration, with title in both Chinese Hanzi characters reading: BAI MEI YING, and English title. The contents are printed on double-folded leaves, bound Chinese style with stitched spine. . Contains a collection of 32 soft focus photographs of… Read More

[Nagoya 1875, Katano]. Yellow stitched wrs.,3 vol. set,title slips, vol.1: covers very clean, red stamp; vols. 2, 3 a bit dusty all contents very clean,excellent registry/impression, bright examples, firm, in Chitsu board folding box. RARE ! . *** **** *** . . . FUGAKU HYAKKEI: 100 VIEWS OF MT. FUJI . . . HOKUSAI'S MOST FAMOUS BOOK ON JAPAN'S SACRED SYMBOL . . . COLOR WOODBLOCK-PRINTED ON HAND-MAID WASHI PAPER . . . HIS GREATEST CLASSIC ! . * THE ARTIST: KATSUSHIKA Hokusai [1760-1849]: Hokusai's most famous work in book form, illustrating a profusion of views of Mt. Fuji from all perspectives. . Hokusai was Japan's most famous Edo period illustrator of Japanese genre, landscape, scenery and of the daily lives and occupations of the commoners. His works are full of cheerfulness, humor, optimism and he had a knack of capturing the true nature of his time, people and life style. He was affectionately called the "MAD MAN ON DRAWING" by the Japanese. His works continue to… Read More

China 1891-1903. Leather spine & corners, over green cloth, oblong: 33 x 24 cm.,249 b.w. & 3 hand-colored photos, firm, clean & solidly bound, all photos laid down,most with pencil captions & date. * * STUNNING COLLECTION OF EARLY IMAGES * * . *** **** *** . . ORIGINAL DATED 1891-1903 PHOTOGRAPHIC ALBUM . . . PLACES IN MASSACHUSETTS, NEW YORK U.S. EAST COAST, HAWAII, . . . CHINA, MANCHURIA &c. . * THE PHOTOS: The album contains various sizes & types of photos, for the most part they are either silver-gelatin types or glossy finish, most are black & white finish, with a few hand-colored. All photos are laid down. Size in centimeters range from the smallest: 2.8 x 4.2 cm, to the largest: 28 x 21 cm. There are 249 various kinds of photo processed black & whites and 3 hand-colored Japanese photos in all. . ** PHOTO DESCRIPTIONS BY PAGE NUMBERS PENCILED IN UPPER CORNERS, 52 PAGES IN ALL: . Most with pencil captions & some with dates: . 1. 1 Photo: THE "STARS &… Read More

Foochow 1889, American Board Mission.Buff stitched wrappers, 3 vol.set,English title page, Chinese text,274 folded pages, 75 color, 190 black & white litho, lead & engraved plates, 18 x 29 cm.,red title slips, very good, solid. FIRST EDITION . *** **** *** . . A RARE, COMPLETE & IMPORTANT WORK ! . . . QING PERIOD: GUANGXU 15th YEAR EDITION [1889] . . . GRAY'S ANATOMY, DESCRIPTIVE & SURGICAL, . . . AN EARLY TRANSLATION INTO CHINESE . . * . . A PROFUSELY ILLUSTRATED THREE VOLUME SET . . . WITH ENGLISH TITLE PAGE & PREFACE IN CHINESE HANZI TEXT . . . ALTERNATE TRANSLATION OF CHINESE TITLE: . . "ELUCIDATING THE SUBTLETY OF THE ENTIRE BODY" . * Revised and Enlarged by Dr. Henry Thomas WHITNEY [1849-1924], printed at the Presbyterian Mission Press, Shanghai 1889. . From 1873 Whitney was in Burlington, Vermont, college at the medical department. Later he entered the New York Medical university, and was graduated in medicine in 1874, . In 1877, he was appointed medical… Read More