Two full-page brush & black ink illus. of the human body, front & back, with names of pressure points. 36 folding leaves. 8vo (247 x 172), orig. wrappers (wrappers rather worn & wormed, recased), new stitching. [Japan: late Edo].

Our manuscript is arranged by section of the body from head to foot, with a listing of about 120 pressure points and their meridians, allied organs, and related illnesses. There are precise instructions on how to locate each pressure point by measurement.

At the end is a list of 45 pressure points that should not be touched, followed by two full-page... More

Mid-Edo period.

An extremely rare survival: an uncommonly tall and large wooden training mannequin, called in Japan do-ningyo (“copper doll,” even those no longer made of bronze), in very good condition. It is most unusual to have such a mannequin of a female; the male figure is usually presented. Certain motifs of the model suggest it was carved in the Chinese or Indian style.

The first examples of similar models originated in 11th-century China, where life-size human acupuncture figures were cast from bronze. “The metal walls of the figures were pierced with small holes corresponding to the principal loci for... More

Nine folding leaves. 8vo (207 x 145 mm.), orig. wrappers (a little worn & frayed), new stitching. [Japan]: from the first & final page in trans.: “Information provided by Asaemon Shimizu near Imabari Castle [in today’s Ehime Prefecture]…on an auspicious day in September 1796.”

This rather slight manuscript is of considerable interest, as it lists 35 medical conditions, along with names of pressure points and methods of treatment. These illnesses include heart disease, skin problems, tumors, dental matters, throat and lung diseases, intestinal problems, reproductive issues, communicable diseases like cholera and gonorrhea, obstetrical problems, and diseases of children. There is... More