INOUE Gensuke — Omoto Chasei Chükei

1883. Inoue Gensuke ???? . Omoto Chasei Ch?kei ???????. n.p.: Meiji 16 [1883]. 2 volumes, Vol 1 17 x 12cm and Vol 2 17.5 x 12cm, bound western style with green paper wrappers and red printed title slips and enclosed in a modern green chitsu 18 x 13cm. Volume 1 has an index to the lily types. A treatise on the 100 varieties of Rhodea Japonica, a species of Japanese lily known more for its greenery than its flowers, published in early Meiji. Each volume has 50 lovely color illustrations of potted lilies, for a total of 100. From a period in printing history when many hybrid techniques were evolving and this one may involve not only copper plates but also stencil and wood engraving. NDL version and our copy have slightly different order of plant illustrations. Very scarce. Some bleeding of red inner wrapper to backing paper of last illustration in Volume 1. Lower joint is starting. Refer to Bartlett and Shohara p.165. .