SHIZHU ZHAI SHU HUA PU: TEN BAMBOO PAVILION: MISCELLANEOUS NOTES FROM THE TEN-BA

China [1817].Blue folded Chuan cloth case,two 2 bone clasps, bound in 16 parts, 283 folded leaves, leading edges trimmed, "butterfly" as issued, profuse color illustrated woodblock printed, lovely Ch'ing edition, in blue cloth case. * RARE * . *** **** *** . . THE STUNNING & LEGENDARY TEN BAMBOO STUDIO . . . THE FIRST COLOR-WOODBLOCK PRINTED PAINTING LESSON BOOK . . . THE COMPLETE WORK BOUND IN 16 PARTS . . . COLOR WOODBLOCK PRINTED & ILLUSTRATED . . . THE 1817 EDITION ILLUSTRATED WITH 186 COLOR ILLUSTRATIONS . . . THE TEN BAMBOO IS WORLD'S & CHINA'S FIRST . . . COLOR PRINTED BOOK . . . THE FIRST EDITION WAS PRINTED IN 1633 . * The original and first edition of this most important of all Chinese color woodblock printed books was by Hu Zhengyan [1584-1674]in the late Ming [ca. 1640's]. The publication of this first and most celebrated color printed book, inaugurated a new era in the history of Chinese woodblock printmaking, it also established a unique and new style in the art of block-print and plate-carving in China. . This work combined the multiple-block color-printing process, in which a separate block was carved for each color in the finished print, and the relief/intaglio block process, in which the paper was pressed between matching relief & intaglio blocks in order to produce embossed patterns. . This work stunned the Chinese world of art and printed books. These color printing techniques were a great innovation, and some 200 years later the Japanese began to emulate this color printing method in their Ukiyo-e or "Brocade" color prints of the "Floating World" period. . *** SUBJECT OF THE 8 SECTIONS: The book is divided into eight parts, arranged according to subject matter: Exemplars of calligraphy and Painting; Manual on Bamboo; Volume of Ink Masterpieces; Manual on Rocks; Manual on Birds; Manual on Plum [prunus]; Manual on Orchids; Manual on Fruits, and round fans. . Each illustration is double page, with center fold most all are cinnabar chop sealed. Often there is a matching text or poem on the adjacent double-page. . There is no known "correct" sequence of the eight sections, individual leaves vary between editions. The work was "butterfly bound" i.e. a large page is center-folded, and the open ends were stitched into typical Chinese style book binding. Each section contains multiple parts. . *** THIS IS THE FIRST KNOWN COLOR-WOODBLOCK PRINTED & ILLUSTRATED BOOK: The work is a pioneer effort and a first in the realm of color printing in China. It precedes all other cultures in the rightful claim as the first ever color printed book ! . *** SUPERB COLOR WOODBLOCK PRINTED BOOK: It is of major importance to point out that books of this period and complexity containing a very large number of woodblock printed color illustrations were collated and put together by literate 'printer's devils.' These workers were part of a "production line" of young boys, who collated and placed the printed sheets, that were supposed to be collected one-by-one and put in the proper order into each volume. Occasionally these collators missed a page, or inserted two of the same pages. . These are common and accepted norms for books of this period and complexity. While collating, we found a duplicate half- page illustration inserted next to the identical double page illustration, proving our point. This kind of error was common in 17th-18th and even into the 19th century for books published in Europe as well. Not having page numbers means that each page was simply put into random order, most of which were inserted by the subject of each volume, as cited below. . *** THE BOOK CONTENTS, SUBJECTS Liberally paraphrased from the below references. This work is delicately printed on thin paper, using pastel colors closely emulating the original art work. . *** SUBJECT OF THE 8 SECTIONS BOUND IN 16 VOLUMES: The book is divided into eight parts, arranged according to subject matter: Exemplars of calligraphy and Painting; Manual on Bamboo; Volume of Ink Masterpieces; Manual on Rocks; Manual on Birds; Manual on Plum [prunus]; Manual on Orchids; Manual on Fruits & etc.. . Each illustration is double page, with center fold this edition did not come with red cinnabar chops or seals. Often there is a matching text or poem on the adjacent double-paged illustrations. . There is no known "correct" sequence of the eight sections, individual leaves vary between editions. The work was originally "butterfly bound" i.e. a page was center-folded and the open ends were stitched into typical Chinese style bound book. See "Condition" below for more on the format of these pages. Each section contains multiple parts. . *** FIRST KNOWN COLOR-PRINTED & ILLUSTRATED BOOK: The work is a pioneer effort and a first in the realm of color printing in China. It precedes all other cultures in the rightful claim as the first ever color printed book ! . *** . TEN BANBOO CONTENTS: 1. 2. 3. 4. Fan 5. Fruit [[fruit & rocks] 6. Fruit 7. Fur [birds] 8. Fur [birds] 9. Chrysantheumu [brush, grass, orchid] 10. Chrysanthemum [rock, orchid, bamboo] 11. 12 13. 14. 15. 16. . VOL.# SUBJECT COLOR & B.W. DOUBLE-PAGE TEXTS INTRO 1. 2 3. FAN 9 12 4. 11 11 5. 10 10 1 intro 6. 10 10 7. 8 8 3 8. 9 9 9. 19 0 2 10. 16 11. BAMBOO 10 10 5 + 1 INDEX 12. BAM 16 16 13 PLUM & ROCK 9 9 2 + 2 14. PLUM 11 11 15. ROCK 9 9 4 16 10 10 . *** PROVENANCE Judson D. Metzgar [1870-]: This example came from the famous Japanese & Chinese woodblock print collector, Judson D. Metzgar, who lived at 720 S. Kingsley Drive, Los Angeles. He was an eminent probate lawyer. . We acquired several of his books from his daughter, Mary Alice who lived in his old house in 1977. . Judson took this set of TEN BAMBOO books for confirmation date & identification to a local professor at the University of California, Los Angeles. . Inside the Chitsu at the far right is Metzgar's unique wide fountain penned note inscription reading: . "176 prints This set dated 1803 by Prof. Hanh of U.C.L.A." . *** CONDITION: Each part is bound in brown-laid Chinese limp cover paper with volume numbers brushed on the back cover near the spine. The contents are color woodblock printed on white very thin laid handmade tissue paper. . The leading edges of all volumes are uniformly trimmed, there are no folded edges in this example. Sold "as is." By ordering this book you agree and understand the book is NOT returnable for any reason. . The contents are immaculate. The hand-made Chinese paper as usual have some original flaws in their making process. This is quite normal. Some typical examples are old folds, a few holes, mis-folds and the like. A few small closed tears were mended in the distant past on the verso. . There are some of the usual small dots, spots, a touch of mild folding marks, feint stains, paper toning, old dog ears [flattened for the most part], ink marks from less than perfect woodblock printing techniques and other trivial things which are common to books of this period from China. . We tend to be over critical about pointing out flaws. By and large this is an excellent set, far and above average condition, attractive and stunningly beautiful. Seldom found in such clean and solid condition. . There are some mild stains: Volume number: . *** Color photos are posted to our website. . *** REFERENCES: . TODA, Kenji.: DESCRIPTIVE CATALOGUE OF JAPANESE AND CHINESE ILLUSTRATED BOOKS IN THE RYERSON LIBRARY OF THE ART INSTITUTE OF CHICAGO, pp. 406, cites Chia-ch'ing 22 year = 1817. * METZGAR, Judson.: ADVENTURES IN JAPANESE PRINTS: A Story Of Oriental Print Collecting In The Early Years Of The Present Century With Some Technical Criticisms On Prints & Observations On Forming A Collection. * Metzgar: accessgenealogy.com/illinois/biography-of-judson-d-metzgar.h tm . * .