BIRD & BULL PRESS: MORRIS, Henry.

Inquire · Offered by Peter Harrington

Japonica: The study and appreciation of the art of Japanese Paper. First edition, number 225 of 250 copies only. This work contains 33 samples of chiyogami, highly colourful and decorative pieces of printed paper traditionally used for wrapping, making dolls, and origami. They date from the 1930s and came from the collection of Dard Hunter (1883-1966), the American champion of traditional papermaking techniques. Chiyogami first became popular in the Edo period with the growth of woodblock printing technology. They were made from traditional Japanese washi paper and their designs were based on the bright kimono patterns worn by wealthy women. The art has remained popular throughout the 20th century into today.In addition to the chiyogami samples, this work also includes a selection of leaves of paper used to cover sliding doors, dating from the 1950s, and two swatches of kimono designs removed from books produced in the mid-19th century. The text is a review of the literature on Japanese paper making and a reprint of the 1876 article "The Manufacture of Japanese Paper" by Henry Smith Munroe, a geologist and advisor to the Meiji government from 1872 to 1875.

• Printing: later

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