SHIRAISHI, Kazuko 白石かずこ.

Konban wa aremoyō 今晩は荒模様 [Tonight Is Nasty].

Two engraved plates by Ikeda Masuo 池田満寿夫, each signed by him. 4 p.l., 116 pp., one leaf of colophon with limitation statement & author’s signature. 4to, orig. half-leather & snakeskin, upper cover with the title designed by Ikeda inlaid (see below), Douglas Cockerell marbled endpapers. Tokyo: Shichōsha, 1965.

First limited edition, privately issued in 40 copies. This is copy number 4 (of eight) in the snakeskin binding with the special title on upper cover. The remaining 32 numbered copies do not have the special metal title inlaid on the upper cover. This special edition features two engraved plates signed by Ikeda Masuo (1934-97), celebrated for his original work as a painter, printmaker, sculptor, ceramicist, filmmaker, writer, and director.

Shiraishi (1931-2024) was one of Japan’s most prominent avant-garde poets; Kenneth Rexroth, who edited a volume of her poetry in English, called her “the Allen Ginsberg of Japan.” Indeed, she was a close friend of both Ginsberg and Gary Snyder, translating the former’s poetry into Japanese. She was a central figure in Tokyo’s emerging “Beat” scene.

Konban wa aremoyō was Shiraishi’s fourth collection of poetry; it created a scandal upon publication because of its frank imagery of the male sexual anatomy.

The binding of this book, by Minemura Kōzō 峯村幸造, is remarkable for its use of snakeskin and for the metal title of the book on the upper cover, created in iron, following a calligraphic model by Ikeda. The metal title was then treated with layers of lacquer and finally covered in pure gold leaf and inlaid into the leather portion of the upper cover, creating a very striking effect.

The binder of our book retained this deluxe copy and in 1968 presented it to Sasaki Kikyō 佐々木桔梗, a Buddhist priest and collector of historical bindings. For 25 years, Sasaki operated a legendary fine-press imprint, Press Bibliomane,.in his Tokyo temple, producing beautiful limited-edition art and poetry books. Shiraishi, Sasaki, and Ikeda all moved within the same avant-garde circles.

Very fine copy, with the two original publisher’s boxes. With a handwritten greeting card from the binder to Sasaki is affixed to the inside of the inner box.