The Japan Punch, February 1884 to June 1884 (5 issues),

[WIRGMAN (Charles)] THE JAPAN PUNCH,

Published by Yoko-Hama, 1884,

About this Item

5 issues, folio (26 x 36 cm), 10 or 11 illustrated leaves per issue, original Japanese paper with string stiching. Most captions in English, a few in French. Wirgman travelled out to Japan in 1861 as artist-correspondent for the Illustrated London News, and in 1862 established this topical, satirical magazine for the European community in Yokohama, the first magazine to be published in Japan. He introduced to Japan "the European notion of nineteenth-century visual satire, which gelled very closely with long-standing indigenous notions of the visually absurd and grotesque, but could now be seen to apply to contemporary subjects, a practice long tabooed in Japan" (ODNB). Wirgman is widely known as "one of those engaging, eccentric, polyglot personalities who adventured around the Far East in the second half of the nineteenth century" (The Japan Society, Biographical Portraits). The Japan Punch ran for 25 years until 1887. Wirgman died, and was buried in Yokohama in 1891. Moderate creasing to edges, paper slightly toned. Stitching a bit baggy, minor damage and creasing, cover slightly grubby .

Seller Inventory # 18250

Bibliographic Details

• Title: The Japan Punch, February 1884 to June 1884 (5 issues),
• Publisher: Yoko-Hama, 1884,
• Binding: Soft cover