Orihon (accordion format) woodblock-printed book of Vol. 69 of the Sutra of Perfection of Wisdom...
Six columns per page, 17 characters per column, text-block height 205 mm. 15 joined sheets. 81 pages. Tall narrow 8vo (275 x 115 mm.), orig. semi-stiff wrappers to form a “wallet binding.” [Kanto region?]: printed at end, “Ke’en bikuni Chikan, January 1363.”
An extremely rare dated sutra, printed by the monk Chikan in January 1363, apparently in the Kanto region. It has been printed on fine thick paper (gampi or mulberry fibers), with bold, thick strokes, using black sumi ink.
According to the blog of a local printing historian in Yamanashi Prefecture, who is a member of the Hobundo Company... More