Rare
Books
Oriental
Collection
Hokusai
Illustration from Furyu gojunin isshu
Isuzugawa kyokaguruma. Edo:
Tsutaya Juzaburo, 1802.
rown,
G. M. L.
Oriental Collection. New
York: Society of Foliophiles, 1928.
Three leaves, 24 folders in box.
36 cm.
Number 22 out of 120. Lacks introduction by G.M.L. Brown, and item
#17 (Tibetan Buddhist manuscript) as well as its explanatory page. Insert: "Only
one hundred and twenty of this Portfolio have been issued, which obviously ends
the edition for all time."
The Oriental Collection is a
portfolio of Asian book and manuscript leaves that was compiled and sold by The
Society of Foliophiles in 1928. The
portfolio was issued in an edition of 120 copies, each of which contained 24
folders as well as a small box holding a Tibetan Buddhist Manuscript.
With dates ranging from the 14th to the late 19th
centuries, the set is composed of 28 manuscripts and 11 printed leaves, along
with a dried specimen of a lotus plant in Folder 23.
Texas Tech University's copy lacks the Tibetan Buddhist Manuscript (Item #17),
although the folder is present.
In addition, the G. M. L. Brown introduction is not present. However, the
Special Collections & University Archives at the University of Iowa Libraries
has kindly provided a
copy.
The portfolio was the product of a group of New York book collectors who began
to meet in the early to mid 1920's to discuss various aspects of books and
publishing. Attuned to the fact
that the prices of rare and historical material often made complete copies
beyond the means of most collectors, they decided to form a company to market
original leaves of rare books and manuscripts from broken or otherwise damaged
examples. They called themselves
the Society of Foliophiles ("lovers of pages").
From 1925 to 1928 the Foliophiles published at least five different portfolio
sets, all with a particular focus.
Three, Printed Pages from European
Literature, Printed Pages from
English Literature, and Specimens of
Woodcuts and Engravings were made up of leaves from European sources.
The remaining two, the Oriental
Collection and Specimens of Oriental
Mss. and Printing, contained Asian specimens.
The Oriental Collection is a type of
a leaf book. Broadly defined, a
leaf book is a publication that contains one or more pages from a rare and
significant printed book or manuscript.
It is accompanied by a text that gives details of the specimen and places
it in its historic and cultural context.
The practice is less popular now, due to increased sensitivity towards
breaking up intact manuscripts and printed books.
Links
Texas Tech's scanned copy of the
Oriental Collection.
Other Foliophile's Portfolios
The Development of the Printed Page
at the Irvin Department of Rare Books and Special Collections of the University
of South Carolina comprises of 135 leaves scanned from the Foliophile portfolio
History of the Written Word as well
as 16 additional leaves.
Leaf Books
The Caxton Club's 2004 exhibit
Disbound and Dispersed: The Leaf Book Considered.
An article on
leaf books
on the Fine Books and Collections
Magazine's site.
For
additional information, please contact:
Rob E. King
rob.e.king@ttu.edu
(806) 834-0397