Antique Handwritten JaPaNeSe Washi LEDGER BOOK DaTed 1878 - Meiji Era EPHEMERA

The calligraphy displayed in this piece is artistic and really original and something almost nobody today could reproduce, surprising since it has only been 145 years. The styles have changed that much.

This is an antique ledger book which says something like 'lumber sales and purchases' on the cover, handwritten on washi and dated January of 1878. That is Meiji year 7. Just inspecting the calligraphy up close is fascinating. The back cover has a name, Inoue Matsusaburo. It sounds very old-fashioned and beckons the imagination.

It is difficult to understand what type of things are being written about. It looks like some type of accounting journal. Old cursive writing styles like this are difficult for most modern folks to read. Most, including my wife, cannot read it, not even one or two characters. The calligraphy is pure art, though. Every bit scrumptious, full of flavor. Many entries are stamped with a small vermillion chop, as if to signify that a certain account has been collected (or paid?).

This would be cool to use to cover something, like paper mache’ or decoupage. !! It would lend itself to that type of process, being washi and having a certain amount of body and softness.

There are 78 pages, including the cover. Each page is actually folded over, two layers of paper. And each side is written upon. There are no blank pages. Lots of fun ephemera for your scrapbooking or collaging fun! All sorts of paper arts!! Your imagination is the limit!!

Some of the pages are curled up down at the bottom corner. Some have a small amount of bug damage. One or two pages are missing a bit of the corner from bug bites. But remember, washi can be ironed out, if needed. It is that strong.

Use this as a collection piece, a display piece just as is, paper for collage, or for scrapbooking....so many possible uses.

lots more photos here

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dimensions

17cm x 12 cms x 1.5 cms

Please like this antique ledger book and share all over the internet, Pinterest and Facebook and Instagram.

And then buy it. : ) Please.

Thank you.