Rare and Important Early Japanese Edition of FLW Works

Wright, Frank Lloyd.

Furanku Roido Raito sakuhinshū 1-5.

フランク·ロイド·ライト作品集 1-5.

[Frank Lloyd Wright Collected Works 1-5].

Editor: Takanashi, Yoshitarō. 高梨由太郎.

Tōkyō, Ushigome : Kōyōsha, Taisho 15 – Showa 3 (1926-1928).

25,5 x 19,5 cm. 5 portofolios, each volume in its original color printed boards as designed by FLW (?) in gilt, black, red and cream, gold-printed cloth spine, each volume with 2 ribbon ties.

EUR  reserved

Volume 1: Showa 1, (June 1926), 2. printing. Title page, 6-page table of contents for the complete works, Volumes 1–5; 6 pages Japanese translation of an essay written by Erich Mendelsohn [From his publication about F.L. Wright: Wasmuths Monatshefte für Baukunst, vol. 10, 1926, page 244–246]; 48 leaves (numbered 1-48) of plates.

Volume 2: Showa 1, (June 1926), 2. printing. Title page, 4 pages Japanese translation of an essay written by J. J. P. Oud; 48 leaves (numbered 49-96) of plates.

Volume 3: Showa 3, (April 1928), 4. printing. Title page, 4 pages Japanese translation of an essay written by H. P. Berlage; 48 leaves (numbered 97-144) of plates.

Volume 4: Showa 3, (January 1928), 1. printing. Title page, 4 pages Japanese translation of an essay written by Adolf Behne; 48 leaves (numbered 145-192) of plates.

Volume 5: Showa 3, (July 1928), 1. printing. Title page [volume 5 is complete in this form because no accompanying text was published.]; 48 leaves (numbered 193-240) of plates.

Yūtarō Takanashi (高梨由太郎, 1882–1938) was a prominent Japanese publisher and editor of the early Shōwa period who specialized in architecture and design.  In 1912, Takanashi founded the publishing house Kōyōsha (洪洋社), which played a central role in introducing Western modern architectural concepts to Japan. His publishing house was known for publishing specialized literature, often richly illustrated with photographs and plans.  Yūtarō Takanashi was significantly involved in documenting the works of Frank Lloyd Wright in Japan. As early as 1923, he published a detailed documentation of the Imperial Hotel in Tokyo.  The highlight of his publications on FLW was undoubtedly this publication on the architect’s early work.

I can only verify one complete copy that has been available in the market for the last thirty years: Charles B. Wood, Cambridge 2014, cat. 162, # 83.

Not included in the bibliography of FLW’s works (Robert L. Sweeny, Frank Lloyd Wright, Los Angeles 1978). OCLC does not list a complete set; volumes 1 through 4 are held at the Getty Library.

A very fine copy, only the title pages show even browning, as is very common with Japanese loose-leaf portfolios.