Mon Chikusa (Japanese Family Crest Designs), 1913 / Matsuya Store

For scholars of Japanese culture and graphic design, this book is a goldmine. It features over 4,000 family crests, also known as ‘kamon’ or ‘mon’, possibly all from the Chikusa ward of Nahoya in Aichi Prefecture, Japan. Crests denoted family lineage, ancestry and status. There are reportedly over 20,000 distinct kamon in Japan.
 
It was republished in 1972 with an English foreward, but this is the original, in Japanese only. Borrowing from the rear cover of the 1972 edition:  “This is one of the richest graphic art traditions in the world. Most of these motifs are circular and all can be fitted into a square. Within those limitations is a seemingly endless range of designs.” Graphics include roots, plants, birds, animals, and more.  
 
We believe this was the property of the Burr sisters, purchased in the 1920s or 1930s from The Meiji, Japanese and Chinese Fine Arts, San Francisco, as shown on a sticker in the back of the book. 
 
The blue grey cloth cover with paper title label has some water damage and marks from something heavy that must have sat atop it. Inside the front cover, the paper backing has torn. There is some discoloration on the first page. The back cover has serious spotting. Otherwise, it is in good vintage condition with four hole stab binding still in place.
 
We found only two online, priced at $ 450 and $ 473.
 
H 7 1/4” X L 10 3/8” x D 1 1/8”
 
Disclaimer: We have tried to make sure colors shown in photos are representative of the real colors of each item. We have tried to identify all imperfections in descriptions, but we may have missed some. If you are unhappy with your purchase, let us know.