One such catalogue arrived here a couple of weeks ago, and this one is a little bit different from that issued by other companies. Most of the catalogues are simply that, catalogues. The items are listed with a price, and whichever customer calls up to order any particular item first, can have it. Because these are old items, there are of course no other copies available; everything is a 'one off'. But this particular company doesn't sell things that way; they send out the catalogue - which has a price listed for each item - then take orders for the next ten days, letting them build up, including multiple orders for the same items.

But it's not what you think - they are not taking bids on the items. At the end of the ten days, they simply draw straws on each one, and if your name comes up, you get the item - at the catalogue price.

I never really had much luck with their stuff. Desirable items of course always draw many offers, so the chances of getting a 'hot' item are pretty small. But I browsed through this catalogue anyway, seeing what treasures might be in there.

And this year, there were so many! There were easily more than a dozen items that I would love to have as part of my collection here. So I couldn't help but think ... "Dave, you had a very good Gift season in December. You worked so hard ... Surely it's OK if you put your name down for just one of these items, isn't it?"

Well, it didn't take much to talk myself into it. I called up the girl who takes the orders, and put my name down for something that I have lusted after looked at from afar for many years - a fine copy of the Taisho-era reproduction of the famous Masanobu album Yoshiwara keisei shin bijin awase jihitsu kagami (A Mirror Comparing the Calligraphy of New and Beautiful Yoshiwara Courtesans).

The Edo period original version is of course museum material, and even single pages from it go at auction for around $5,000. This Taisho period reproduction of the album was listed at 35,000 yen (just under $400). She took down my name, along with the item number, and then asked "And ....?"

And I couldn't help myself; I added one more, a boxed set of 50 prints based on Hokusai designs, which was issued by the Takamizawa company in the pre-war period. These are usually found all split apart and in poor condition, but this was listed as being complete, and in 'very fine' condition. It was 49,000 yen (just over $500), but as I 'knew' that I would only win one of these items, if that, I wasn't worried.

That was a couple of weeks ago, and I basically put it out of my mind, being busy (very busy!) with the current print project.

This morning, I was interrupted in my proof printing by the doorbell; a package delivery.

As I said ... Christmas in January! Both items were in the box!

It's funny, but the first emotion was a bit of a rush of guilt! My collectors have been supporting me so well recently, many of them perhaps because they want to help this guy 'get by' in his projects, and here I go and start throwing money around like this!

But please ... just have a look!

The Masanobu album. Padded cover, all printed in woodblock, of course.

It's accordion-style, and opens on full-page spreads. Look at the ruler ... 30cm. This is a huge volume - each page equal to two full-size prints (snapshot is enlargeable):

Each spread represents a Yoshiwara scene, accompanied by calligraphy from the ladies depicted (these were real people, and it's probably better if you don't ask what their line of work was ...).

Every page is a total riot of detail and colour:

There are seven such spreads in this album. And to think that they would let this go for just around $400 ... incredible!

Anyway, it has now found a very good home for the next couple of few decades, I think!

And ...

The Hokusai set.

Very sun-bleached case. Inside are twenty-five packages, each one containing a pair of prints. (This was a subscription set at the time ...)

Takamizawa prints vary widely in quality, but these are very nicely printed - with clean, unspotted gradations, smooth colour, and perfect registration.

Here's a closeup (enlargeable). Nice stuff!

The top few packets in the set have been opened a number of times, and they show a bit of wear and tear, but when you look down into the pile, it's clear that most of these things have never been disturbed. A set like this is very difficult to 'browse' and I'm sure very few of these prints have ever seen the light of day.

And that's going to have to change. The backboards and cover sheets for the prints are a very cheap pressboard, and the prints are already showing signs of 'burn' from the acidic pulp. I really don't want to 'destroy' this item, but those prints are going to have to come out of there, or they'll be doomed.

No chance to work on this now, but when I can find the time (hah!) I'll carefully remove the prints and put them into an acid-free album. I won't toss out the original packaging, but will preserve it separately, for historical interest. But there is no way that they can stay 'together' ...

Enough of this playing around though ... I have proofing work to do! I have an appointment to see Kaori-chan tomorrow evening (all the way over at her place on the other side of the metropolis ...) and I don't have anything to show her yet!