Shopping books in Edo –the Eulenburg expedition and the beginning of the Japanesecollection of the Staatsbibliothek zu Berlin-PK
Dr. Ursula Flache, Staatsbibliothek zu Berlin-PK, East Asia Department
15th September 2021, EAJRS Conference, Saint Petersburgv

Source: Ansichten aus Japan, China und Siam : die preussische Expedition nach Ost-Asien, Berlin : Verlag der Kgl. Geheimen Ober-Hofbuchdruckerei, 1864-1873
http://resolver.staatsbibliothek-berlin.de/SBB0000273500000070

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Signing of the “Treaty of Amity, Commerce and Navigation” on the 24th January 1861
Source: Illustrirte [sic] Zeitung. Leipzig, 935 (1. Juni 1861), S. 372 (shelf mark: 2" Ac7169-36/37=914/965,+Beil.1861)

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Members of the Prussian expedition
Back row, left to right:
Gustav Spieß (tradesman), Albert Berg (painter)
Middle row, left to right:
Wilhelm Heine (painter), Max von Brandt(attaché), Friedrich Albert Graf zu Eulenburg(envoy and head of the expedition)
Front row, left to right:
Dr. Robert Lucius Freiherr von Ballhausen(medical doctor), August Graf zu Eulenburg(attaché), Theodor von Bunsen (attaché)

Not in the picture:Ferdinand Freiherr von Richthofen (geologist)>> [Berg, Albert (Ed.)]. Die preussischeExpedition nach Ost-Asien. Nach amtlichen
Quellen [The Prussian expedition to East Asia.
Based on the official sources]. Berlin, 4 vol.,1864-1873
Source: Gustav Spieß. Die preußische Expedition nach Ostasien während derJahre 1860-62. Berlin [u.a.]: Spamer, 1864 (shelf mark: Un 5276a)
http://resolver.staatsbibliothek-berlin.de/SBB000014BA00000008

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“In the afternoon, excursions wereusually undertaken, and when theweather was too inclement for further

horseback forays, visits were paid tobookstores and variety stores, to theweapon-, bronze- and lacquer
dealerships nearby, in order to makesmall purchases, to gain betterknowledge of the products of the country
and, to converse with the indigenous
Depiction of the shops of the two publishers Izumiya
Ichibee (right) und Masuya (left), both of whom had
books as well as ukiyoe on offer.
Akisato Ritō. Tōkaidō meisho zue 東海道名所図会, vol. 6, pp. 74v-75r (shelf mark: Libri japon. 6)
http://resolver.staatsbibliothek-berlin.de/SBB0000834C00000910

people.“ ([Berg, Albert (Ed.)]. Die
preussische Expedition nach Ost-Asien.

Nach amtlichen Quellen. Berlin, 1864,vol. 1, p. 270.)

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“... even the soldiers on guard do read, and one can see children, women and girls, delving intobooks. Their novels and novellas must be very extensive, and without doubt contain much
attractiveness that would merit a translation into European languages. They are rich in history books

and encyclopedias; numerous descriptive and educating works from the realms of nature, thesciences, arts and crafts, give evidence of the eager thirst of the people for knowledge.“ ([Berg, Albert(Ed.)]. Die preussische Expedition nach Ost-Asien. Nach amtlichen Quellen. Berlin, 1864, vol. 1, p.
314-315.)“Reading was the main activity of the Japanese of all classes in their leisure hours; in every street
book stores can be found, where not only Japanese and Chinese writings but also translations ofEuropean works on geography and regional geography, on medicine, tactics, weaponry, etc. can befound, and the books are so unbelievably inexpensive that one has to assume a very highconsumption.“ ([Berg, Albert (Ed.)]. Die preussische Expedition nach Ost-Asien. Nach amtlichen
Quellen. Berlin, 1864, vol. 1, p. 131.)

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“In all book stores, one finds illustrated works in disproportional numbers and hundreds of mere
picture books. Most of the botanical and zoological books are illustrated, as are those on physics,
anatomy and, tactics — as well as original Japanese books and those translated from the Dutch —moreover, works on weapons, horses, hunting and fishing, gardening and landscaping, tree
cultivation, architecture, books on earthquakes, astronomy, meteorology, their calendars of stateand genealogies, novels, history books and historical monographs, and their mythological,ethnographical and archaeological works. Their picture books contain now this now that; here,landscape representations, there, scenes of daily life and nature in miniature. We find illustratedalphabet primers, fencing-, riding-, and drawing manuals, where next to the executed sample thebasic concept of the shape is represented by mathematical lines. Masterly are their drawings ofbirds, fish, and insects, of which there are many collections. The majority of picture books containa multi-coloured mixture of these; often, one can find the most contradictory things wildly thrown

together onto one and the same page in a boisterous mood. They are inexhaustible with comicalhumour.” ([Berg, Albert (Ed.)]. Die preussische Expedition nach Ost-Asien. Nach amtlichen
Quellen. Berlin, 1864, vol. 1, pp. 312-313)

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Folie 6Pertz specifically asked for “... historical and geographicalworks, natural-historical writings containing illustrations,belletristic [schönwissenschaftliche] and vernacular writings,
main works of Theology and Law, hand maps of Japan, Siamand individual parts of the countries, cityscapes and maps...“(Geheimes Staatsarchiv – PK, Berlin, Akte I. HA. Rep. 76
Kultusministerium Vc. Sekt. 1 Tit. XI Teil V A Nr. 2 vol. 1, p.
207)

The Royal Academy of Sciences enumerated likewise thefollowing subjects “…historical, geographical, naturalhistorical, ditto theological, poetical, and juridical books,
Portrait of the Royal Chief
Librarian Georg Heinrich Pertz(about 1870)
Source: bpk / Ernst Milster

namely, annals of the state and geographical maps.“(Geheimes Staatsarchiv – PK, Berlin, Akte I. HA. Rep. 76
Kultusministerium Vc. Sekt. 1 Tit. XI Teil V A Nr. 2 vol. 1, p.

244.)
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number of titles Japanese/Prussian von Richthofen von Brandt
expedition
number of titles
105
27
249
printed books
8927
213
manuscripts
8035maps
8001
illustrated titles (excluding maps)
83
1921
6
medicine, herbalism
18
320
meisho zue, regional descriptions
16
1120
literature (poems, songs, novels,kabuki etc.)
painting
agriculture, plants & animals,
landscape gardening
buddhismflower arrangement
go, other games
history
lexicons, textbooks
technology, production
coins
astronomy
shintô
tactics
calendarshunpon

Shopping books in Edo

Lucius vonBallhausen
45
38
0
737
13
3

16

6424

10
90
1

5
700

51843222211111220010100000102000010000300100001100221112100011Folie 8

Friedrich Albrecht Graf [Count] zu Eulenburg (18151881)• Administrative lawyer, diplomat, politician• Envoy Extraordinary, head of the Prussian expedition
to Japan, China, and Siam (today’s Thailand)
1860/1862• The files pertaining to the expedition to Japan, China
and Siam are stored in the Geheimes Staatsarchiv– Preußischer Kulturbesitz (Secret State Archives –Prussian Cultural Heritage) in Berlin• Monjorui (文書類 (仮題): letter by zu Eulenburg, twoJapanese letter scrolls and their accompanying
Dutch translations
Source: Monjorui (文書類 (仮題), shelf mark: Libri japon. 446)
http://resolver.staatsbibliothek-berlin.de/SBB0000E92C00000000
http://resolver.staatsbibliothek-berlin.de/SBB0000E92100000000
http://resolver.staatsbibliothek-berlin.de/SBB0000E92100000000
http://resolver.staatsbibliothek-berlin.de/SBB0000E92600000000
Portrait of Friedrich Graf zu Eulenburg
Source: bpk / P. Biegner Comp.

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Max von Brandt (1835-1920)• Diplomat and author• Accompanied the Prussian expedition as Attaché• From 1862, Consul in Japan; from 1867, PrussianRepresentative in Japan; from 1868, Representative andConsul General of the Norddeutscher Bund [NorthGerman Confederation]; from 1872, Minister Resident of
the German Empire in Japan• 1875-1893 Imperial Envoy for China• Numerous publications on East Asia, including his threevolume memoirs with the title "Dreiunddreissig Jahre inOst-Asien. Erinnerungen eines deutschen Diplomaten"[Thirty-three Years in East Asia. Memoirs of a Germandiplomat]
Portrait of Max von Brandt (wood engraving of 1873)
Source: bpk

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Heinrich von Brandt (1789-18568)"Die Grundzüge der Taktik der drei
Waffen. Infanterie, Kavallerie undArtillerie" [Fundamentals of the tactics ofthe three weapons: Infantry, cavalry,artillery], published in 1833>> translated into the Dutch language>> from the Dutch into two Japaneseversions:• Sanpei kappō (三兵活法) by Suzuki
Shunsan (i.e., Suzuki Tsuyoshi) in 1846
(Kōka 2)
• Sanpei takuchiki (三兵答古知幾) by
Takano Chōei during the early Anseiperiod (1854-1860)(cf. footnote in 『大日本古文書 幕末外国関係文書 第43巻』 東京大学史料編纂所編、1991年、p.248)
Title page of "Die Grundzüge derTaktik der drei Waffen. Infanterie,Kavallerie und Artillerie" (Berlin:Herbig, 1842, 2. verb. u. verm. Aufl.)

Cover of volume 1 of Sanpei takuchiki,(Edo, 1857)
Source: shelf mark: Libri japon. 14
http://resolver.staatsbibliothekberlin.de/SBB000081D800000003

Source: shelf mark: Hv 597-6,1a

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Sales cover with the inscription "Dem Verfasser zugesandt
durch den Gouverneur des Auswärtigen, Fürst Hori Oribe nokami" [Sent to the author by the Governor of the Exterior,Prince Hori Oribe no kami]

Sales cover with the name "Heri [sic] Oribe no kami"
Source: Brandt, Heinrich von. Sanpei takuchiki 三兵答古知幾, Edo, 1857,
sales cover of vols. 13-16 (shelf mark: Libri japon. 14)
http://resolver.staatsbibliothek-berlin.de/SBB000081D800000679

Source: Brandt, Heinrich von. Sanpei takuchiki 三兵答古知幾, Edo, 1857, sales cover ofvols. 9-12 (shelf mark: Libri japon. 14)
http://resolver.staatsbibliothek-berlin.de/SBB000081D800000445

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Folie 12Ferdinand Freiherr [Baron] von Richthofen (1833-1905)• Geographer, geologist and explorer• 1860-62, accompanied in this capacity the Prussian Expedition
to Japan, China and Siam

• 1875, professorship of geography at Bonn University; in 1883,
at Leipzig University; in 1886, professorship of physicalgeography at Bonn University• 1901, founder and first director of the Institute ofOceanography; building of a Museum of Oceanography(opened in 1906)• 1903-04, principal of Friedrich-Wilhelm-University (today
Humboldt University), Berlin• Numerous geological and geographical publications, based
especially on his expeditions to California, China, and Japan

Portrait of Ferdinand Freiherr von Richthofen
around 1880
Source: bpk / Ernst Milster

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Kai (花彙)Mid-18th century, 8 booklets, Libri japon. 432
The work Kai consists of two parts with four booklets each, one part ongrasses and one part on trees. The authors are Shimada Mitsufusa (島田充房, 1764-1789) and Ono Ranzan (小野蘭山, 1729-1810), with twobooklets by Shimada and the remaining six by Ono.

>> translated into French by Ludovic Savatier (1830-1891), but publishedwithout illustrations:Livres Kwa-wi ; Botanique japonaise; trad. du japonais avec l'aide de M.
Saba par L. Savatier. Paris: Savy, 1873>> Ludovic Savatier and Adrien Franchet (1834-1900) :Enumeratio plantarum, in Japonia sponte crescentium…" [Enumeration ofthe flora growing naturally in Japan...], Parisiis: Savy, 1875-79

Image of a bleeding heart
Source: Part on grasses, booklet 4, p. 12r, shelf mark: Libri japon. 432
http://resolver.staatsbibliothek-berlin.de/SBB000030A400000207

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Gakō senran (画巧潜覧)
1740 (Genbun 5), 6 booklets, Libri japon. 94

Copy of the representation Hyōnenzu (瓢鮎図, pre-1415), an
illustration of the Zen enigma (kōan) about the difficulty to capturea catfish with a bottle gourd.

Image of the Hyōnenzu
Source: Booklet 1, p. 13r, shelf mark: Libri japon. 432
http://resolver.staatsbibliothek-berlin.de/SBB0000304800000035

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Robert Lucius Freiherr [Baron] von Ballhausen (1835-1914)• Medical doctor and politician• 1860/62, accompanied the Prussian Expedition as doctor• Since 1866, politically active; repeatedly Member ofParliament; since 1871, close connections to Otto vonBismarck; 1879-1890, Prussian Minister of Agriculture; 1895,appointment into the "Herrenhaus" [Prussian House of Lords]• 1888, raised to the rank of Freiherr [Baron]• 1920, posthumous publication of his "Bismarck Memories",
which constitute, as original testimonies, an important sourceof information regarding the Bismarck era

Portrait of Robert Lucius Freiherr von Ballhausen (around 1880)
Source: bpk / L. Haase Co.

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Yōka seisen zukai (瘍科精選図解)n. d. (preface dated 1819 (Bunsei 2)), 2 booklets, 37641 ROA>> illustrations are taken from "Chirurgie" [Surgery], published in
1719, by Lorenz Heister (1683-1758).

Page with surgical instruments of the Western practice of medicine
Source: Booklet 1, no pagination, shelf mark: 37641 ROA
http://resolver.staatsbibliothek-berlin.de/SBB000085B300000023

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Murasaki shikibu genji karuta (紫式部源氏かるた)
1857 (Ansei 4), accordion fold book, 37647 ROA

The illustration refers to chapter four, titled "Yūgao“.
From left to right:• Tasogare (in the original: Yūgao)• Akogi (in the original: court lady Rokujō)• Mitsuuji (in the original: Prince Genji)

Source: no pagination, shelf mark: 37647 ROA
https://digital.staatsbibliothekberlin.de/werkansicht/?PPN=PPN3308100339&PHYSID=PHYS_0008

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To read more about this topic, please visit
the thematic portals on the CrossAsia
website:https://themen.crossasia.org/?lang=en

Two new thematic portals from December
2021:
The Prussian Expedition to Japan1860/61
https://themen.crossasia.org/expeditionjapan/?lang=en

The Origins of the JapaneseCollection of the SBB-PK
https://themen.crossasia.org/japansammlung/?lang=en

Available in German, English andJapanese!
Shopping books in Edo

Thank you very much for your attention!
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