TAIKO TO SEIDO DOBUTSU: KODAI CHUGOKU NO SOSHOKUHIN. AGRAFFES & BRONZE ANIMALS:

Tokyo, 1994, Ribun Shuppan. Brown morocco leather spine, yellow cloth blind-stamp, 138p., glassine dust jacket, blue cloth slip case, as new copy, unused, 21 x 27.5 cm., color plates. FIRST & ONLY LIMITED NUMBERED EDITION OF 700 COPIES SUBTITLE: continued: The Dialogues Between China & Greece via Scythians. * WHAT ARE AGRAFFES: Per the 'Summary on Contents:' "The Agraffes were ornamental metal fittings used as belt-hooks and for other hooking purposes. Early examples were excavated at Alexandropol of South Russia, Ananino of east Russia, south Ural, Mastiguino and Ordos. There were mainly made of bronze with animal designs. The Agraffes were further developed in quality and design in ancient China in [the] Spring-Autumn [770-481 B.C.], Warring States [480-222 B.C. and Han periods 206-B.C -219 A.D.]. The base material was mainly bronze while in insolated cases other materials such as gold, silver or iron were employed. On such base metals, gold, silver, jade, turquoise and other precious stones were applied to make gorgeous jewelry of the Agraffes. The bronze animals were also cherished as ornaments, portable pets and charms against evils [or called talismans]." . There are ample examples in China from this period of these 'belt hooks' found in bronze as well as Jade. Also other miniature amulets, sculptures of animals, fixtures and horse carriage items, plus a wide variety of other fascinating and unusual charms, talismans and other unusual accoutrements. * THE CONTENTS: Summary of contents, color photo captions in English and Japanese. With 133 individual items color illustrated and described in Japanese. Bibliography. The color photos are stunning, and show in the items in excellent detail. A spectacular collection of unusual objects, hitherto neglected by other collectors and scholars. * AGRAFFE/AGRAFE: According to the Meriam-Webster dictionary, these are an ornamental clasp used on armor or costumes hook-and-loop fasteners. See M-W below. *** THE EDITION: FIRST & ONLY LIMITED, NUMBERED EDITION OF 700 ONLY COPIES. This book is numbered by a red-ink stamp at the back where the colophon is located. * CONDITION: This copy is "as new," fine, unused, unread in the best of condition. * THE BINDING: Bound in fine quarter brown morocco leather, over blind-stamped yellow cloth, spine titled in gilt, silver-speckled end-papers, glassine paper dust-jacket. * SLIPCASE: This stunning work comes in the original gilt-stamped, blue-cloth covers slip-case, which is again in turn preserved in the original cardboard slipcase. * THE AUTHOR: This book is an exhibition catalog of the private collection of Toshio Egawa, who was Managing Director of the Konica Corporation. The collection focuses on Ancient Chinese ornaments which were traded by the Sythians with the ancient Greeks as early as 3,000 years ago. Eiko Egawa, the author's wife is the co-author *** REFERENCES: RAWSON, Jessica & Emma bunker: ANCIENT CHINESE AND ORDOS BRONZES. * RAWSON, Jessica: CHINESE BRONZE-ART AND RITUAL. London, 1987. * RAWSON, Jessica: Bella and P.P. CHILI COLLECTION OF ANCIENT CHINESE BRONZES. Hong Kong, 1988. * SIREN, Osvald: BULLETIN 38, MUSEUM OF FAR EASTERN ANTIQUTIES. Stockholm, 1966. * Eskenazi: INLAID BRONZES, London 1991. Exhibition catalogue. * DEYDIER, Christian: ART OF WARRING STATES AND HAND PERIOD. London 1991. Exhibition catalogue. * DEYDIER, Christian: CHINESE GOILD, SILVER AND GILT BRONZES. Exhibition catalogue, 1985, London. * LAWTON, Thomas: CHINESE ART OF THE WARRING STATES PERIOD. Freer Gallery 1987, Washington D.C. * LALLY, J.J.: CHINESE ARCHAIC JADES AND BRONZES. Exhibition Catalogue, New York, 1993. * Asian Art Museum of San Francisco: JEWELS AND ORNAMENTS OF ASIA. Exhibition catalogue, 1992. * WORLD CAT # 9784947546791 * OCLC #673620812 * http://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/agrafe *** .