Wada (Sanzo) Japanese Vocations in Pictures Showa Shokugyu E-Zukushi series 1 and 2 in 4 vol. fro

Wada (Sanzo) Japanese Vocations in Pictures Showa Shokugyu E-Zukushi series 1 and 2 in 4 vol. from an edition of 300 depicting contemporary images of both traditional occupations such as the musician potter and blacksmith and those arising in the modern era such as the pilot lineman crossing watchman and many others colour-printed woodblocks each c.270 x 360mm. each signed and many inscribed in ink all mounted on silver washed album leaves all bumped in one corner but not affecting the prints with printed descriptive labels mounted opposite most in Japanese and English but four in Japanese only uniformly bound in patterned silk boards with gilt-stippled but unlettered labels mounted on oblong folio all preserved in a chitsu or cloth chemise with bone pegs outer joints slightly splitting blue cloth faded on three sides 1939-41. *** Originally intended as a series of 100 images to reflect the rapid modernisation of Japan Sanzo Wada (1883-1967) brought together and housed a number of expert woodblock makers and printers from all over Japan. But the slow production of just 2 plates per month was eventually halted by the deteriorating conditions of the Second World War. An attempt was made to revive the series but this saw only an additional 24 plates which were produced between 1954 and 1956 still falling short of the intended 100.