Japanese Craftsmanship

Euphemia Franklin

Far East – China & Japan

Euphemia joined Maggs in 2021 while completing her master’s degree in History of Design at the V&A and Royal College of Art.

Euphemia works closely with Dr. Titus Boeder in the Far East department as a specialist in Japanese books and global design. She has compiled a number of themed catalogues, including Manuscript Manga, The Tokaido and More Mingei. She is a contributor to The Book Collector and wrote the introductions to Toshio Saeki Death Book and Kyoichi Tsuzuki's Love Hotels, both published by Baron Books.

As a trained graphic designer, she brings her expertise to the firm through a variety of in-house projects. In 2024 she was the creative director for the firm’s new website and rebrand.

Always keen to encourage book collecting among young people, she also serves as a judge on the David Ruggles Prize.

She is fluent in Japanese.

[email protected]

Mingei artists, paper-making and woodblock-printed books

We are delighted to present a lovely mix of items, most of which are new acquisitions. Spanning from the eighteenth to the twentieth century, and across a wide range of themes, the books are connected by the common thread of craftsmanship.

While the Mingei artists' books show wonderful individual expression, earlier woodblock books highlight what had been achieved by teams of master block cutters and printers.

Japanese Craftsmanship

Catalogue

Kyoto minka fu [Record of Kyoto's Minka Houses], 1934.

Hinoe tora goshi ginka kana tsuguru ban katazome… 1986.

Shonen shojo [Boys and Girls], 1952.

Kappa aijo-ki [Kappa love story], 1948.

Tesuki Washi [Handmade paper], 1975.

Toki seou [Bearing the weight of time], 1987.

Tosa Washi, 1990.

Jagatarabumi [Letters from Jakarta], 1941.

Ai oribe to ishizara [Indigo dye and Stoneware… 1984.

Ima wa mukashi [Once upon a time], 1967.

Koshi no kagami [Examples of ancient papers], 1977.

Hirado genso [Hirado fantasy], 1977.

Heisei no shifu • Current Handmade Papers of… 1992.

Koshi hyakutai [Varieties of old papers], 1949.

Yuenchi haikyo [Amusement Park Ruins], 1956.

Hakurai kaju yoran [Handbook of Foreign Fruits], 1884.

Nihon no kami: higashi nihon • nishi nihon [Japanese… 1958.

Okinawa no minyo [Folk Songs in Okinawa], 1961.

Kaika kocho [Ancient Signs of Enlightenment], 1874.

Tabako Toraiki [On the Arrival of Tobacco], 1943.

Ranpu to onna [Lamps and Women], 1965.

Hida yuki [Travels in Hida], 1951.

Momikarakami [Kneaded papers], 1971.

Tohoku kama meguri [Touring the Tohoku Kilns], 1944.

Kawakami Sumio Sakuhin-shu [Collection of works by Kawakami… 1975.

Washi no Bi [The Beauty of Japanese Paper], 1943.

Kosetsu shiki [The Story of the Blind Man… 1975.

Kojiki emaki [Picture Scroll of the Kojiki], 1949.

Mailing List