MORI GENKOSAI (fl. late 18th-early 19th c.), illustrator, engraver: Inro fu "Book of inro designs"; preface dated tsuchinoto-i, third month (3/1839) and signed Kameda shizo, colophon signed Genkosai and Toto monjin, Takeguchi Teisai, Sugita Yusai and Matsushima Eisai, and Shoritsu, Takeda Den'emon of Tokyo, publisher, no date [after 1868]; fukurotoji-bon, 2 vol. (26.5 x 18.1cm. each), block printed in ink and color on paper, buff-paper wrapper embossed with circular patterns and with title slip printed in ink on paper, sewn, in chitsu, good impressions and color, slightly soiled, vol. 1 missing second half of fifth leaf to first half of eighth leaf

Details

MORI GENKOSAI (fl. late 18th-early 19th c.), illustrator, engraver: Inro fu "Book of inro designs"; preface dated tsuchinoto-i, third month (3/1839) and signed Kameda shizo, colophon signed Genkosai and Toto monjin, Takeguchi Teisai, Sugita Yusai and Matsushima Eisai, and Shoritsu, Takeda Den'emon of Tokyo, publisher, no date [after 1868]; fukurotoji-bon, 2 vol. (26.5 x 18.1cm. each), block printed in ink and color on paper, buff-paper wrapper embossed with circular patterns and with title slip printed in ink on paper, sewn, in chitsu, good impressions and color, slightly soiled, vol. 1 missing second half of fifth leaf to first half of eighth leaf

Contents: Vol. 1, 15 leaves, numbered jo 1-4, 2, 4-5 and 9-12, inside back cover titled as above and signed Genkosai sensei zuga chokoku and Seijoken zo, publisher, 7 pp. preface dated and signed as above, 2 pp. text, 2 pp. single-page illustrations, 2 double-page illustrations, 4 pp. blank pages, 6 pp. text, 1 double-page illustration, 1 p. text, 1 leaf blank; Vol. 2, 29 leaves, numbered 1-27, 1 leaf blank, 1 single-page illustration, 38 pp. 19 double-page illustrations, 12 pp. text, 1 double-page illustrations, 1 p. blank, 1 p. colophon signed as above, 1 p. blank

Lot Essay

Mori Genkosai was also known as a talented netsuke artist. He had outstanding eyesight and was able to carve in extremely fine detail, as is evident in the illustrations here. One of his works, a netsuke of Daikoku covered by hundreds of rats, is in the collection of the British Museum, London.