JAPANESE BOOK ON FALCONRY, MANUSCRIPT, probably 18th century, from the library of Gunnar Brusewitz.

(TAKAZUKASA) Japanese book on falconry. Kanazawa?, probably 18th century. Manuscript in pen and ink.

4to, ca 232x175 mm. (27) leaves. With numerous illustrations of several types of prey including a number of water fowl and game birds together with several images of the goshawk and fine details of a number of feathers.
Stitched as issued in the original blue wrappers, covers heavily rubbed and worn around margins, with paper label lettered in manuscript on rear cover. Dampstain affecting upper corner throughout, with a number of worm-trails throughout, the most prominent affecting the outer margins of the upper cover and the first 16 leaves, with some loss of text and image.

Preserved in a custom made green morocco backed clam-shell box, spine lettered ”Takazukasa” in gilt, spine slightly faded. With the bookplate of Gunnar Brusewitz on inside cover of box.

A most attractive illustrated Japanese work on falconry.
”Falconry is first documented in the Nihon shoki (Japan’s official chronicle, compiled in 720), where it is said to have been introduced by a Korean courtier in 359 AD. Falconry appears in many literary works, beginning with the Manyoshu poetry anthology of the 8th century, and was practiced by the ruling elites until the end of the 19th century. Emperors, nobles and members of the Samurai class retained falconers; ceremonial and technical aspects of falconry were developed. Several families established their own schools of falconry around the 14th century, and the teachings of those schools were transmitted through generations” [Harvard online exhibition]. This was often done through the copying of manuscript texts, and it seems likely that this is indeed an 18th century copy of an earlier manuscript.
The short treatise is adorned with numerous appealing illustrations done in pen and ink, including instructions on the construction of stands, and with several images of the goshawk, fine details of a number of feathers, and illustrations of several types of prey including a number of water fowl and game birds.

Provenance: Gunnar Brusewitz (1924–2004), well-known Swedish artist and author. Brusewitz was very interested in nature and wildlife and his large library collected during more than 60 years reflected this interest, and also his interest of the history of hunting.

See catalogue text.
For more information, please contact katharina.fahlstedt@auktionsverket.se.