W.L. BEHRENS COLLECTION PART III
SWORD FITTINGS, TSUBA, METAL
by Henri L. Joly
$1600.00
GLENDINING & CO., London, 1913. Soft cover. Book Condition: Very Good. 1st Edition. W. L. BEHRENS COLLECTION Part III SWORD FITTINGS, TSUBA, METAL. Catalogue by Henri L. Joly. This is the ORIGINAL CATALOGUE, printed in 3 VOLUMES. Published by GLENDINING & CO., LONDON, MCMXIII-MCMXIV (1913-1914). FIRST EDITION, LIMITED TO ONLY 100 COPIES, THIS BEING COPY #58. From the Copyright / Limitation page (found in Volume One of this Three Volume Set of Part III of the W.L. Behrens Collection): "Printed to ONE HUNDRED COPIES ONLY of which this is NUMBER 58 by Riddle, Smith and Duffus, Victoria Works, Forest Hill, S.E. / COLLOTYPE PLATES by the Photophane Co., Cranfield Works, Brockley, London, S.E. / PUBLISHED BY Glendining & Co., Ltd., 7 Argyll Street, London, W." Three Volumes, Original Printed Paper Wrappers / Softcovers, 10x12 inches. The three volumes contain 125 pages of Text (pages numbered consecutively) plus a few prelim pages in Volume I (Title-Page, Limitation Page, Preface) plus a Printer's Colophon page at the end of Volume III; each volume also has a front and rear blank endpaper. The three volumes also contain a total of 83 COLLOTYPE PLATES, each printed on its own page and each with its own PRINTED TISSUE GUARD. The original W. L. Behrens Collection was published in four parts, each part consisting of 3 volumes. The four parts are: Part I: Netsuke, Part II: Lacquer and Inro, Part III: Sword Fittings, Tsuba, Metal, and Part IV: Chinese and Japanese Miscellanea, Buddhistic Section and Chinese Antiques, Varia. This original W. L. BEHRENS COLLECTION PART III : METAL, TSUBA, SWORD-FITTINGS, which I am offering, is the most difficult to find and the most sought after of the four part W.L. Behrens collection catalogues. Part III was reprinted in 1966 in a single volume in a smaller format and without the dazzling quality of collotype plates (a much cheaper printing process was used). The 1966 reprint can be found, but this ORIGINAL 3 VOLUME CATALOGUE, printed in an edition of only 100 numbered copies, is almost Impossible to Find. The set comes in a custom made box with blue cloth covered boards, leather spine label titled in gilt (H. L. Joly / The W. L. BEHRENS COLLECTION / MCMXIIII - MCMXIV), snaps on the front flaps, and inner tie strings. I do not know who had the custom box made. CONDITION: The three volumes are in VERY GOOD condition. The covers have some spine creases from use, light wear to the spine ends, light corner creases, some spine sunning and some offsetting; the front cover of Volume III has a horizontal crease across its face and a 2 1/2 inch closed tear starting at its bottom edge that has been repaired on the backside with clear tape; internally, there are some light signs of handling, a small crease or scrape, and a few corner tip creases here and there; Volume III has a crease across its front blank endpaper; overall the inner pages are tight, bright, clean and unmarked. ALL the Collotype Plates and their printed tissue guards are present and gorgeous. A solid, complete, very nice set. The custom made case is in Good Condition with some scrapes, rubs and general wear; the leather spine label is worn and has some scratches; overall the case is solid and still doing the job its previous owner had it made to do.

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