A rare Japanese book entitled Hoketsu by Takejiro Ueno depicting the palaces and castles of the Imperial Household. The book is dated 1924 and we believe this is a 1st edition. View all photos to see the incredible condition.
The book is large measuring 8.5 x 12.25 inches and has embossed silk boards with gilt end pages. On the spine we see some kind of green material that is only partially present. Underneath it is the same golden yellow silk as on the cover. I am uncertain if this was a secondary wrap on the cover. It has the original string-bound boards and they appear tight. There are gilt decorative endpapers.
This book is profusely illustrated with 110 striking photogravures. This work documents the Japanese castles and palaces associated with the Imperial Household. The book was signed on the first blank page neatly in the upper left corner by the prior owner. We did some research on him as he is an Army Veteran - Msgt. MA Bosack (Michael A. Bosack), enlisted in 1946 as a resident of Rockland, NY born in 1926 in Kentucky. His Army serial number is also penned as RA 42208294. Looks like he was enlisted for 1 year as a Technician 5th Grade with the Ordinance Department. But, we also found a record of a Silver Star in 1945
The book is in Good Condition with no missing or loose pages. Silk covered boards are showing some wear near corners as one would expect. Inside is in beautiful condition. Only seven copies in libraries worldwide, five in this country and two in Japan. A wonderful piece for the rare book collector and Japanese history lovers.
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