KAMIGATA PLAYBILLS.

A fine collection of 64 kamigata kabuki ebanzuke 上方歌舞伎絵番付 (“Osaka kabuki playbills”).

64 playbills, all with block-printed & color-stencilled (kappazuri 合羽摺) covers, all composed of three or four leaves, block-printed throughout with full-page illus. Small 4to (ca. 185 x 135 mm.), each self-bound. Osaka: ca. 1808?-80?

A remarkable survival: a collection of 64 extremely rare kabuki playbills from the historical theater district of Osaka. These playbills all have three or four leaves, and their covers are color-printed using stencils (kappazuri, a technique unique to the Kamigata region). They depict the main characters and the icon of the theater, and the succeeding leaves visually depict the story of the play or plays, with accompanying explanation of the plot, list of people associated with the production, and theaters where performances would take place.

We have divided these plays into groups arranged by publisher:

1. 52 playbills: Honsei, which successively used different names over the years: Honsei 本清, Honya seishichi 本屋清七, and Tamaoki 玉置.

2. 8 playbills: Gyokkōken 玉光軒.

3. 1 playbill: Sueyoshi すへよし.

4. 3 playbills: Tachibanaya ushimatsu 立花屋丑松.

The leaders of the troupes were: 荒木万吉; 嵐亀三郎 (& 竹治郎, 徳松, 市太郎, 吉太郎, 富三郎, 橘蔵); 浅尾朝松 (& 奥太郎, 奥次郎, 徳三郎, 興三郎); 藤川半太夫 (& 辰蔵); 市川てる世 (& 善太郎); 松嶋藤之助; 中村亀鶴 (& 駒之助, 鶴三郎, 歌之助, 歌五郎, 大吉, 鍵之助, 金助, 吉之助, 歌右衛門, 松世); 芳澤槌松 (& 巳之助); 小川吉太郎; 尾上梅蔵; 片岡市松; 坂東紋太郎; 榊木山太次郎; and 玉川弥三郎.

The playbills are undated, but some indicate one character of the zodiac year, giving us a ballpark idea based on the known activities of the publishers.

In very good condition.