B792. Nanban Torai Kibun by Fujita Kobo. 1978. Cloth and leather bound in a bone or ivory clipped slipcase and cardboard storage box, 9 x 12″, 140 pages in Japanese and 10 pages in English. Nanban: Southern Barbarians, because the early Europeans in Japan had to sail around the south end of Africa and thus arrived from the south. The locals may have considered them barbarians but they had an outsized influence on Japanese art and culture none the less.This book is flat out beautiful. Most of the pictures are color and tipped in. Prints, pottery, glass ware, lacquer, stirrups, 2 tsuba, and more are included. The English pages discuss different aspects of nanban history and how they played against Japanese culture.

A former owner has placed 2 stamps on the cardboard box. The book is in pristine condition. 5 pounds, 12 ounces. $65.