Author/compiler: Ihara Saikaku 井原西鶴, 1642-93. Saikaku's authorship is attested by two printed seals, Kakuei 鶴永 and Shōju 松壽, following date (Jōkyō 4) at end of preface. Both seals represent gō 号 used by Saikaku. Illustrator: Not named, but illustrations are in the style of Yoshida Hanbē 吉田半兵衞. Imprint: Ōsaka, Fukaeya Tarōbē; Kyōto, Yamazakiya Ichibē; Edo, Yorozuya Seibē, Jōkyō 4, 1687. Colophon reads: 貞享四丁卯年正月吉日 ／ 大坂 ... ／ 書林 深江屋太郎兵衞板 ／ 京 ... 山崎屋市兵衞 ／ 江戸 ... ／ 萬屋清兵衞. (Part of Yorozuya's name missing; page damaged.). Description: 8 kan, rebound in 4 satsu. (1) ff. [l] , 27; (2) ff. 31; (3) ff. 24; (4) ff. 23; (5) ff. 25; (6) ff. 22; (7) ff. 27; (8) ff. 24. 24.9 x 18.2 cm. Fukurotoji. Blockprint. Printing frame 20.2-20.5 x 16.8 cm. Single-line borders. No fishtail design on hanshin. Hiragana-majiri text with printed furigana. 12 lines to page, 22-24 characters to line. Renewed dark blue covers (late-Edo period ?) with floral design in pattern of small octagons. Hand-lettered title slips contemporary with covers. Gedai and naidai identical. Sub-title at head of 目録 of each maki: Honchō waka fūzoku 本朝若風俗. Hashiragaki: Ō 1 (etc.) 大一 (二, 等) + folio no. Edition: The first edition, dated Jōkyō 4 (1687), was published only at Ōsaka and Kyōto. This is an edition reprinted at Edo from the same blocks, with the name and address of the Edo publisher added. Contents: Ukiyo-zōshi novel. Despite its title, this novel is not exclusively concerned with tales of homosexual relationships but dwells more on the samurai code of moral obligation, loyalty and family vendettas. Maki 1-4 deal with bushi 武士 society and maki 5-8 with kabuki wakashū 歌舞伎若衆 and chōnin 町人 society.
Nanshoku ōkagami 男色大鑑
This material is held atBritish Library Asia, Pacific and Africa Collections
- Reference
- GB 59 Or.75.g.27
- Dates of Creation
- 1687
- Language of Material
- Japanese
- Physical Description
- 4 volumes Condition: Generally good. Some worming at spine, defacement of two folios in maki 2, and damage to final folios of most maki. Repaired by urauchi throughout. Fol. 4 of maki 2 missing. Fols. 22 and 23 of maki 5 have been transposed in binding. Impression: Atozuri, with some blurred and thickened strokes. Illustrations: Single and double-page sumizuri illustrations in: (maki 1) ff. 5b-6a, 9a, 13a, 20a, 25a; (maki 2) ff. 3b, 8a, 14b-15a, 18b, 24b, 30a; (maki 3) ff. 4b-5a, 10a, 13a, 17b-18a, 23a; (maki 4) ff. 4b-5a, 9a, 15a, 19a, 21b-22a; (maki 5) ff. 4b-5a, 10a, 15a, 19a, 22b-23a; (maki 6) ff. 4a, 8b-9a, 14a, 17a, 21a; (maki 7) ff. 4b-5a, 10a, 15a, 20a, 24b-25a; (maki 8) ff. 4b-5a, 9a, 13b-14a, 18b-19a, 22b-23a. Seals of ownership: Oblong red seal, Mitsui-ke 三井家 and square red seal, 宗辰所集 (seal of Mitsui Gen'emon 三井源右衞門) on first page of maki 1, 3, 5, 7 and on last page of maki 8, where a third (unidentified) red seal also appears. Black kashihon'ya stamps, including ほん類品 and 舛宗, on first page of each maki.
Scope and Content
Access Information
Not Public Record(s)
Unrestricted
Acquisition Information
Acquired at Tōkyō Kotenkai auction sale, 1 Nov. 1976.
Other Finding Aids
Kenneth Gardner, Descriptive Catalogue of Japanese books in the British Library printed before 1700 (London and Tenri, 1993). C. Japanese works 和書 5. Literature - fiction 国文-小説 g. Ukiyo-zōshi 浮世草子
Bibliography
Nihon koten bungaku daijiten 日本古典文学大辞典, vol. 4, pp. 568-9; Saikaku 西鶴, p. 120, pl. 309-13; Teihon Saikaku zenshū 定本西鶴全集, vol. 4, pp. 5-276: Saikaku no shoshigaku-teki kenkyū 西鶴の書誌学的研究, pp. 44-6; Kinsei bungei meicho hyōhonshū 近世文芸名著標本集, 16 shū.