Map Edo, First Edition (2 results)

Soft. Condition: Good. No jacket. Drawer 6. Large illustrated map of Edo during the Bunsei Reign Period, dated 1824 and attributed to Okamura Kihyohe. 24 x 36 inches with attached extension flap, 13 x 5 inches. Worn along folds with some closed holes visible at cross points. Chipping and light tearing on edges. Entire map has been backed with plain paper for reinforcement. A few roads have been neatly over lined with ink, but overall very clean condition.

Ochikochi Doin; Hishikawa Moronobu (illustrator). A rather rare, Early to Mid Edo Period edition of the T?kaid? Bunken Ezu, also known as A Charted Map of the Tokaido, being a married set containing four first edition volumes from the Genroku Era, with the second volume being the 1751 Second Edition from the Horeki Era. As the title would entail, the work is a series of five volumes of scaled (1 to 12,000) maps which shows the Tokaido in its entirety, depicting the long and winding road connecting Edo to the capital, Kyoto, and the 53 stations along the way. The maps are beautiful, being rather detailed and historically accurate to detail, with numerous landmarks, locations, and teahouses marked, and the work itself was used as a travel guide, though not for conventional travel usage along the road. The first volume has also been partially colored by a contemporary hand. Each station has been labelled and goes into additional detail to show various traders, brokers, and travel fees, as well as distances to different locations or other stations. Adding another level of liveliness, the work also depicts travelers upon the road, to give a sense of realism, and how the Tokaido might have looked during the Edo Period. The volumes are broken down into the following sections: Book 1: Edo to Odawara Station Book 2: Odawara station to Fuchu Station Book 3: Fuchu station to Yoshida Station Book 4: Yoshida station to Kameyama Station Book 5: Kameyama station to Kyoto Complete sets of the first edition are rare outside of Japanese holdings, and copies at auction appear to be extremely scarce, with only a singular set sold at Christies at their October 16th, 1990 Sale, Lot 502, for 24,200 USD. Five volumes in orihon format (28 x 16.8 cm, but 26.7 x 15 cm for Vol II), 40, 44, 52, 46, 40 leaves These volumes are in very good shape, with rubbing and wear to the bindings, with a bit of paper loss to the corners and edges of the covers. There are minor worm tracks to the margins and edges, partially obscuring a bit of imagery at times. There is very little foxing or staining throughout.