Nihon Meizan Zue ("Japan's Famous Mountains"). Tani, Buncho (Illus.).; Kawamura, Motoyoshi (Comp.).

A late Edo edition of this prepossessing catalogue of Japan's scenic beauty. The illustrator, Tani Buncho (1763-1840), was the leading Western-influenced topographical artist of his generation, adopting techniques that had a clear influence on Hokusai and Hiroshige. Tani's compositions are topographically accurate and seek to present the mountains in a natural, unadorned light. The work opens with Mounts Kinpu and Fuji and concludes with Mount Iwate, a stratovolcano in northern Honshu. The first edition, published in 1804, was released under the title Nihon meizan zufu. Chibbett, Hickman & Matsudaira 135. Three volumes (255 x 185 mm). Original blue wrappers, recently renewed brown thread yotsume toji stitching, spine ends capped with dark blue silk, woodblock title labels printed in black. Housed in custom blue cloth folding case. With over 100 double-page woodblock illustrations. Nineteenth-century black ink calligraphic ownership notations on rear pastedowns. Covers faded and rubbed with small losses to title labels, occasional faint stains to contents, a little unobtrusive worming in Vol. I: a very good, attractive copy.