Kōno Bairei (幸野 楳嶺 1844 – 1895) - 楳嶺花鳥画譜 Bairei Kacho Gafu - Bairei's Album of Flowers and Birds - 1878

Manuscript of Bairei's album, full set 50 paintings in gorgeous condition, seal of Bairei on first cover and inside cover, 2 full pages with titles of every print. Ink & pigment on washi paper. These were the final drawings/brushwork that were send to the team of printers and carvers.

Impressive brushwork, attention to detail, colors.

Bairei Kachō Gafu 楳嶺花鳥画譜 (Bairei’s Book of Birds and Flowers) first published by Okura Magobei in Meiji 16 (1883) and then re-published posthumously in Meiji 32 (1899) by Okura Shoten, used four different engravers and was often bound into 2 volumes, either as four separate volumes or two volumes for spring/summer and autumn/winter.

These are clearly the designs for the first edition, the Meiji 16 - 1883, missing the detailed borders and the text cartouches that were latter added for the Meiji 32 edition.

Condition: worn, stained covers, bindings (fukurotoji) intact. The drawings are in excellent condition, no foxing, no stains, no worming, no tears or wrinkles. Any damage can be seen in scans, all files scanned. Extensive mica coverage on almost all files, it can't be seen by the scanner, but can be easily glitter when seen in the light and slowly inclined

Version to compare with: https://pulverer.si.edu/node/816/title
Hi-def scans: drive@google.com/drive/folders/1cTY1jka4QwoSqUfrc5z-D8q2U1R5hUew?usp=sharing [replace @ with .]

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