KIMBEI, Kusakabe (1841-1934)

Album Japan: Shrines and Temples of Nikko (651-704) ca. 1880 Kimbei can also be spelled Kinbei. Kusakabe (1841-1934) was a talented artist and photographer who, in the 1860s, joined Felix Beato as a photo-colourist before becoming his full time assistant. He opened a studio in Yokohama in 1880 which, by 1892, held a portfolio of upwards of 2000 images. "In particular, his landscapes capture the beauty of 19th-century Japan..." (Terry Bennett, Early Japanese Images, 1996, p.50) In-4to oblong, with 50 original hand-colored albumen prints, colored. Dimensions: 207 x 164 mm. Contents: View of Imaichi, at Nikko Road - Town Hachi-Ishi, Nikko - View of Sacred Bridge, at Nikko - Revolving Lantern - Bell of Nikko - Yomei Mon (Great Gate) - Iyeyasu Temple - Kagurado - Nikomon (Cat-gate) - The Bronze Gate and Tomb - Sandai Shiogun Temple - Kokamon - Iyemitsu Tomb - View of Takinoo - Pool of Ganman - Dainichi Do - Jikwan Waterfall - Kirifuri Waterfall - Urami Waterfall - Chiusenji Lake etc. All photographs mounted on hardboard and protected by tissue guards, all are captioned. In an original decorated album with motives of playing monkeys, traces of use (some tears), all edges gilt