This is a matching set of three books by Dr. Soichi Ichida on the classic dragon and cherry blossom stamps of Japan. They are all the same size (8vo). Each book is uniformly bound in leather over cloth (blue, green and red) and has a signed author's dedication/limitation page. They are all inscribed for Clyde Jennings by Dr. Ichida. Only the book on the cherry blossom stamps has a number on the limitation page. The leather extends 5.3 cm onto the front board and 4 cm onto the back board. The books are in excellent condition with no marking or writing aside from Mr. Jennings ink name/address stamp found at the front of each book. The dust jackets match the color of the books and are of fine laid paper. These later editions are seldom seen and a set such as this very hard to find. An important part of a Japan philatelic library. The three books weigh 9 pounds packed and postage/insurance is extra and will be quoted based upon the destination.

 
Ichida, Dr. Soichi:
The One Sen Blue Cherry Blossom Stamp, Showa 45 (1970), Tokyo, dark blue half leather, light blue cloth with gilt lettering on front board and spine, 8vo (7 3/4 x 10 3/8 in - 19.2 x 26.4 cm), blue dust jacket, text in Japanese, 2 color plates with descriptive tissue guards (Figures 1 & 2), 147 illustrations (designated "Figures" and assigned numbers), 13 numbered "Tables," 329 pp. All "Figures" and "Tables" have captions in Japanese and English. A comprehensive and well illustrated and documented book on the 1 sen blue stamp of the first issue (1872) of the Cherry Blossom series of stamps of Japan. The book records the 26 different plates used in the production of this one stamp. Some figures show full sheets (8 x 5) of stamps from the plates. These illustrations are protected by descriptive tissue guards. Following these figures are as many as 12 pages of illustrations with a position by position study of the stamps produced from the plate shown in basic figure. In these images the distinguishing features of each position are shown in dark face print. This book is rarely seen on the market. To see the covers, dust jacket, title page and author's/limitation page, click here.

Condition. The book is in Very Good+ condition. There is an owners name/address ink stamp on the title page at the front. Internally no foxing, staining, toning or writing. The author's/limitation page has no entry after number but it has a manuscript "Mr. Clyde Jennings Jr." and the author's signature.

 
Ichida, Dr. Soichi:
The Dragon Stamps of Japan, Showa 46 (1971), Tokyo, dark green half leather, light green cloth with gilt lettering on front board and spine, 8vo (7 3/4 x 10 3/8 in - 19.2 x 26.4 cm), light green dust jacket, text in Japanese, 2 color frontispiece plates, 115 text illustrations predominately in black and white (designated "Figures" and assigned numbers), 6 plates in color (color plates A & B and "Figures" 22-3 (each figure has two plates), 2 appendices, 210 pp. The color plates are tissue guard protected. The tissue guards have descriptive information. The book has a matching (green) dust jacket and signed author's/limitation page. The two frontispiece plates and all "Figures" have captions in Japanese and English. A comprehensive and well illustrated and document book on the first Japanese postage stamps (dragon stamps) issued between 1871 and 1872. An earlier edition of this book was published in 1959. The present book is sometimes referred to as the "Second" or "Revised" edition. It is seen on the market much less frequently than the earlier edition. I have seen this book offered with an a separate 57 page English and French translation. That, however, is not present with this book. To see the covers, dust jacket, title page and author's/limitation page, click here.

Condition. The book is in Very Good condition. There is light staining on the bottom right portion of the front cover. There is also a discolored area (ca 1 x 1 inch) at the bottom left corner of the back cover. There is an owners name/address ink stamp on a blank page at the front. Internally no foxing, staining, toning or writing. The author's/limitation page has no entry after number but it has a manuscript "Mr. Clyde Jennings Jr." and the author's signature. There is a 1/2 inch tear at the top edge on the part of the dust jacket.

 
Ichida, Dr. Soichi:
The Cherry Blossom Issues of Japan, 1872-1876, Showa 57 (1982), Tokyo, dark red half leather, light red cloth with gilt lettering on front board and spine, 8vo (7 3/4 x 10 3/8 in - 19.2 x 26.4 cm), red dust jacket, text in Japanese, 283 text illustrations predominately in color (designated "Figures" and assigned numbers), 13 numbered "Tables" of data, numerous unnumbered tables, 313 pp. The book has a matching (red) dust jacket and signed author's/limitation page. All "Figures" and "Tables" have captions in Japanese and English. While the book carries the Showa year 57, the preface indicates Showa 56 and "PhilaTokyo '81." A comprehensive and profusely illustrated and documented book on the Japanese stamps issued between 1872 and 1876. This includes the various cherry blossom series and the bird series of 1875. An earlier edition of this book was published in 1965. The present book is sometimes referred to as the "Second" or "Revised" edition. It is seen on the market much less frequently than the earlier edition. To see the covers, dust jacket, title page and author's/limitation page, click here.

Condition. The book is in Very Good+ condition. No foxing, staining, toning or writing. The author's/limitation page has "No. 743" and manuscript "Mr. Clyde Jennings" and the author's signature.

 
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