Alcock, Sir Rutherford:
The Capital of the Tycoon: A Narrative of a Three Years' Residence in Japan, London, Longman, Green, Longman, Roberts & Green, 1863 (1st ed), 2 volumes, 8vo, green blindstamped cloth with gilt illustrations and lettering on front covers and spine, 16 tissue guard protected chromo-lithographs (2 frontispieces and 14 in the text), 128 black and white woodcut engravings, 2 folding colored maps, 469 pp / 539 pp. At the back of volume 2 is a 39 page index (pages 501-539) covering both volumes. This is followed by 24 pages of publisher's advertisements. The front cover of volume 1 has a vignette of a samurai embossed in gold and an unembossed vignette of a lady on the back cover. This is reversed in volume 2 with the lady on the front cover embossed in gold and the samurai on the back cover unembossed. The top edge is untrimmed and the bottom and side edges are trimmed. Printed by Spottiswood & Co. Printers, New-street, London.

An account Japanese life, culture and geography by the British Special Envoy to Japan. The book is an excellent first hand description of major upheaval during this period as the foreign powers maneuvered to establish most favored relations with Japan and intense internal civil strife erupted between forces in favor of modernization and those championing Japanese isolation. Volume 1 starts in 1846 when Alcock was living in Canton. It traces the events from his appointment as head of the permanent British Legation in Japan (mid-1859) to the end of that year. Alcock first arrived in Japan at Nagasaki in June of 1859. By July the permanent British Legation was established in Yeddo. Volume 2 starts at the end of 1859 and goes to Alcock's departure from Japan in March of 1862. Alcock was a keen observer and the book is his account across the entire spectrum of life in Japan during this period to include, politics and government, social and political turmoil, customs and social practices, pastimes, language, geography, international and domestic commerce and the economy (including monetary system), the legal system and flora and fauna. The book is a window into Japanese life of the 1859-61 period. In addition, Alcock provides historical background to place events in perspective.

The set is lavishly illustrated with fine multi-color lithographs (16) depicting people and places. Drawings by Charles Wirgman form the basis of 12 of the chromo-lithographs (three in volume 1 & nine in volume 2) in this set. The lithographs derived from Wirgman's art have "C. Wirgman, delt." inscribed in the lower left corner. The lithographs were produced by "Hanhart Litho."

The text is supplemented with 128 black and white woodcut illustrations and finally 2 color maps round out the illustrations.

To see the title pages, click here.

Complete Table of Contents for Both Volumes. (OCR Rendation of actual listing).   The Capital of the Tycoon Sir Rutherford Alcock   THE FIRST VOLUME.   CHAPTER I. PROVISIONS AND PREPARATIONS —— A GLANCE AT CANTON — HONGKONG AND MACAO, WITH THEIR CONTRASTED DESTINIES—SHANGHAE—THE YANGTZE AND THE CHINESE EMPIRE—THE PAST AND THE FUTURE PERMANENT RESIDENCE   CHAPTER II. VOYAGE TO NAGASAKI — JAPAN AS IT WAS, OR A GLANCE AT THE JAPANESE CHRONICLES, AND WHAT THEY TELL US PERMANENT RESIDENCE   CHAPTER III. FIRST IMPRESSIONS—NAGASAKI PERMANENT RESIDENCE   CHAPTER IV. NAGASAKI TO YEDDO — THE WORK OF TWO CENTURIES UNDONE IN AS MANY YEARS——EFFECT UPON THE JAPANESE MIND — HOW ITS RULERS FELT UNDER SUCH INNOVATIONS — THE TOUCHSTONE OF TRIAL —— FIRST ARRIVAL OF THE BRITISH AND AMERICAN DIPLOMATIC AGENTS AT YEDDO TO TAKE UP A PERMANENT RESIDENCE   CHAPTER V. THE CAPITAL AND ITS ENVIRONS —— STEREOSCOPIC VIEWS OF TOWN AND COUNTRY PERMANENT RESIDENCE   CHAPTER VI. FIRST LESSONS IN JAPANESE DIPLOMACY   CHAPTER VII. EXCHANGE OF RATIFICATIONS —— NEWS OF THE REPULSE AT THE PEIHO —— HERMIT LIFE IN YEDDO — CONDITIONS OF EXILE AND ISOLATION —— LIFE IN A WILDERNESS OF MEN AND WOMEN   CHAPTER VIII. THE JAPANESE LANGUAGE — FIRST LESSONS IN GRAMMAR AND SPEAKING   CHAPTER IX. JAPANESE SAYINGS AND DOINGS   CHAPTER X. A GLANCE AT JAPANESE POLITICS —— HOW THE TWO AMERICAN TREATIES WERE MADE AND INAUGURATED —— BY WHOM THE COUNTRY IS GOVERNED AND HOW   CHAPTER XI. FIRST BLOODSHED — ARRIVAL OF COUNT MOURAVIEFF AMOORSKY WITH A - RUSSIAN SQUADRON —— AN OFFICER AND TWO OF THE SAILORS BUTCHERED IN THE STREETS OF YOKOHAMA — EUROPEAN DIPLOMACY AND EASTERN POLICY   CHAPTER XII. IMPROVING PROSPECTS —— AN OFFICIAL INTERVIEW WITH THE TWO MINISTERS OF FOREIGN AFFAIRS — RIDE HOME DY MOONLIGHT — HOW YEDDO APPEARS AFTER SUNSET   CHAPTER XIII. A VISIT TO HAKODADI — THE LEAD MINES — GOVERNOR—PROSPECTS OF TRADE—POTATOES AND SALMON THE GREAT STAPLES   CHAPTER XIV. MURDER OF FRENCH CONSUL'S SERVANT AT YOKOHAMA——THE GOLD CURRENCY QUESTION AGAIN —— TYCOON'S PALACE BURNED DOWN —— PROPOSITION OF JAPANESE MINISTERS TO STOP ALL, OFFICIAL BUSINESS IN CONSEQUENCE   CHAPTER XV. A COUNTRY WALK —— AGRICULTURE, TREES AND FLORA OF JAPAN —— PEASANT LIFE AND PRISON LIFE —— NATURAL HISTOEY —— JAPANESE LACQUER WARE AND SKILFUL WORKMANSHIP — MONSTER BAZAAR   CHAPTER XVI. THE NEW YEAR, 1860, AND WHAT IT BROUGHT —— INCENDIARY FIRE AT YOKOHAMA —— ASSASSINATION OF A LINGUIST AT THE GATE OF THE BRITISH LEGATION — GLOOMY PROSPECTS — FIRE AT THE FRENCH LEGATION THE SAME NIGHT   CHAPTER XVII. MURDER OF THE REGENT ON HIS WAY TO THE TYCOON'S PALACE — NARRATIVE OF WHAT TOOK PLACE — GENERAL ALARM AND SENSE OF INSECURITY — THE LEGATIONS SURROUNDED BY JAPANESE GUARDS FOR THEIR PROTECTION FROM ATTACK —— THE TIMES OF THE GUELFS AND GHIBELINES RESUSCITATED —— SUBSEQUENT ACTS OF THE CONSPIRATOES, AND HOW THEY DISPOSED OF THE REGENT'S HEAD —— POPULAR STORIES AND LEGENDS — STORY OF THE FORTY-SEVEN LONINS—— INFLUENCE OF SUCH LITERATURE AND HERO WORSHIP ON THE MORALITY AND ACTIONS OF THE PEOPLE   CHAPTER XVIII. STRAY LEAVES FROM A JOURNAL — THOUGHTS DISCURSIVE AND RETROSPECTIVE ON JAPANESE RELATIONS — SPECULATIONS ON THE FUTURE - TRADE RETURNSS AND GENERAL RESULTS — RETROSPECT OF THE FIRST TWELVE MONTHS AFTER THE OPENING OF THE PORTS BY TREATY —— THE GAIN AND THE LOSS SUMMED UP   CHAPTER XIX. AUDIENCE OF THE TYCOON —— PRELIMINARY DIFFICULTIES - IMPORTANCE IN THE EAST OF SEEMING TRIFLES   CHAPTER XX. CHANGE OF SCENE — A PILGRIMAGE TO FUSIYAMA, AND A VISIT TO THE SPAS OF ATAMI   CHAPTER XXI. THE SULPHUR SPRINGS OF ATAMI — VILLAGE LIFE IN JAPAN —— PAPER MANUFACTORY——THE MOXA   CHAPTER XXII. THE HIGH ROAD TO THE CAPITAL, AND THOSE WHO TRAVEL ON IT   THE SECOND VOLUME.   CHAPTER I. INDICATIONS OF HOSTILE SPIRIT AMONG THE ARMED CLASSES — A SERVANT OF THE FRENCH MINISTER SEVERELY WOUNDED WHILE STANDING AT THE GATE OF THE LEGATION — EVIL AUGURIES FOR THE FUTURE — TRAITS OF NATIONAL CHARACTER FROM JAPANESE RECORDS — CODE OF HONOUR. — HOW IT OPERATES TO CHECK THE VI0LENCE OF A TURBULENT CLASS OF FEUDAL RETAINERS — ITS NON-APPLICATION IN THE PROTECTION OF FOREIGNERS — FIRE AT THE BRITISH LEGATION — PROOFS OF GOOD-WILL AND FRIENDLY INTEREST—— FIRST VISIT OF ENGLISH LADIES TO THE CAPITAL —— DANGEROUS GROUND NOT THE LESS — A BRITISH SUBJECT IN COLLISION WITH JAPANESE POLICE AT KANAGAWA. — A TACONIN SEVERELY WOUNDED.   CHAPTER II. NEW YEAR'S DAY 1861 — THE GREETING IT BROUGHT IN YEDDO — MENACE OF A GENERAL MASSACRE OF FOREIGNERS — VISIT AND PROMPT DEPARTURE OF A BRITISH SQUADRON — ASSASSINATION IN THE STREETS OF YEDDO OF MR. HEUSKIN, SECRETARY TO THE AMERICAN LEGATION — RENEWED MENACES DIRECTED AGAINST THE WHOLE OF THE LEGATIONS — PUBLIC FUNERAL OF THE MURDERED OFFICER — REPORTED SUICIDE OF HORIEN0-NO-KAMI, ONE OF THE GOVERNORS OF FOREIGN AFFAIRS — CONFERENCE OF THE FOREIGN REPRESENTATIVES AT YEDDO   CHAPTER III. SECOND PHASE OF THE CRISIS — FLAGS OE FOUR TREATY POWERS STRUCK — PROTEST AGAINST THE INADEQUACY OF MEANS TAKEN TO PROTECT LIFE — NEGOTIATIONS FOR RETURN OF BRITISH AND FRENCH MINISTERS TO THE CAPITAL —C ONDITIONS STIPULATED ON THE PART OF FOREIGN REPRESENTATIVES —— FINAL ACCEPTANCE OF THESE ON THE PART OF THE JAPANESE GOVERNMENT, AND THE RETURN OF THE FORMER UNDER A SALUTE TO THE NATIONAL FLAGS OF GREAT BRITAIN AND FRANCE ON THEIR ENTRANCE.   CHAPTER IV. JOURNEY OVERLAND FROM NAGASAKI TO YEDDO ACROSS THE ISLAND OF KIUSIU —— OBSERVATIONS ON JAPANESE LIFE IN TOWN AND COUNTRY — SOCIAL CONDITION —— MANNERS AND CUSTOMS OF THE JAPANESE — GLIMPSES OF FEUDALISM AND THE POLITICAL ORGANISATION OF THE COUNTRY   CHAPTER V. SIMONOSEKI — THE 'INLAND SEA,' AND VOYAGE TO HIOGO.   CHAPTER VI. THE PORT AND THE CITY —— HIOGO AND OSACA.   CHAPTER VII. OSACA TO YEDDO.   CHAPTER VIII. RETURN TO YEDDO —— ATTACK ON THE LEGATION IN THE NIGHT, AND DESPERATE ATTEMPT AT A GENERAL MASSACRE.   CHAPTER IX. THE LULL AFTER THE STORM — IMMEDIATE PROSPECTS AND POLICY.   CHAPTER X. MR. OLIPHANT, THE SECRETARY OF LEGATION, SENT HOME FOR THE CURE OF HIS WOUNDS — BEARER OF THE TYCOON'S AUTOGRAPH LETTER TO THE QUEEN, URGING THE NON-OPENING OF MORE PORTS FOR A TERM OF YEARS — CONFIDENTIAL INTERVIEW WITH THE PRESIDENT OF THE COUNCIL AND MINISTER OF FOREIGN AFFAIRS —— RESUME OF FOREIGN RELATIONS IN JAPAN.   CHAPTER XI. REVIEW OF FOREIGN RELATIONS WITH JAPAN ——IN THE JAPANESE TERRITORIES THE PRESENT IS HEIR TO THE PAST IN A PECULIAR SENSE — INFLUENCE ON EXISTING RELATIONS — HOW THEY MAY BE DEALT WITH, AND WHAT THE ALTERNATIVES OFFERED.   CHAPTER XII. THE GOVERNMENT OF JAPAN AND ITS ADMINISTRATIVE MACHINERY — RELATIONS OF LIFE: OF RULERS AND SUBJECTS — HUSBAND AND WIFE — THE RELATION OF THE SEXES — THE POSITION OF WOMAN IN THE SOCIAL SCALE — INFLUENCE OF ART AND CULTURE —— RELIGIOUS SYSTEMS.   CHAPTER XIII. THE CIVILISATION OF JAPAN — SOCIAL, AND POLITICAL CONDITION —— DURABILITY OF THEIR INSTITUTIONS —— HOW SECURED HITHERTO, AND ON WHAT DEPENDING —— DREAD OF INNOVATION AMONGST THE RULING CLASSES A PRIMARY CAUSE OF THEIR HOSTILITY TO FOREIGNERS —— THEIR PROGRESS IN ART —— ILLUSTRATIONS OF POPULAR SUBJECTS —— MANNERS AND CUSTOMS —— THEIR LOVE OF THE HUMOROUS AND GROTESQUE.   CHAPTER XIV. TEMPLES, RELIGION, AND AMUSEMENTS OE JAPANESE——STRANGE COMBINATION OF THE TWO —— DESCRIPTION OF ASAXA UNDER BOTH ASPECTS —— JUGGLERS —— STORY-TELLERS —— TOP SPINNERS — VARIOUS GAMES —— GAME OF THROWING THE BALL ON HORSEBACK —— PIC-NICS IN THE COUNTRY MUCH IN VOGUE AT SPRING FESTIVALS — THEATRES — WRESTLERS — MATSURIS AND FEASTS — JAPANESE CEMETERIES.   CHAPTER XV. WESTERN DIPL0MACY AND EASTERN POLICY.   CHAPTER XVI. ARRANGEMENTS FOR THE DEPARTURE OF THE JAPANESE MISSION TO THE COURTS OF THE SEVERAL TREATY POWERS IN EUROPE — EMBARKATION ON BOARD H.M.S. 'ODIN' — CLOSE OF 1861 —— TRADE OF THE YEAR AND COMMERCIAL PROSPECTS FOR THE INCOMING YEAR OF 1862.   CHAPTER XVII. THE YEAR 1862 -- PROGRESS OF EVENTS IN JAPAN — ATTEMPT ON THE LIFE OF THE SECOND MINISTER OF FOREIGN AFFAIRS —— MY DEPARTURE FOR ENGLAND —— ARRIVAL OF THE JAPANESE MISSION IN EUROPE —— RESULTS——THE MONETARY SYSTEM OF JAPAN AND QUESTIONS OB CURRENCY —— ASSASSINATION OF TWO OF THE GUARDS AT THE BRITISH LEGATION — ATTACK ON A PARTY OF BRITISH SUBJECTS ON THE HIGH ROAD, WITH LOSS OF LIFE — SUMMARY OF THE YEAR, AND REFLECTIONS ON THE PRESENT SITUATION.   APPENDICES: A  TRADE OF CHINA. B  MINUTES OF A MEETING OF BRITISH RESIDENTS AT YOKOHAMA. C  LETTER FROM MR. MEDHURST. D  LIST OF DAIMIOS AND THEIR REVENUES. E  MR. VEITCH'S NOTES ON THE AGRICULTURE, TREES, AND FLORA OF JAPAN. F  TITLES IN JAPAN. G   A FEW REMARKS ON 'AN OPEN" LETTER TO THE REPRESENTATIVES OF THE WESTERN NATIONS AT JEDDO'. INDEX.