A highly collectible Edo-period Japanese reference book, 万宝全書 (Manpō Zensho) is a richly illustrated manual dedicated to the classification of tea jars, ceramic vessels, kiln styles, shapes, and decorative features. Produced using traditional woodblock printing techniques, it served as a practical guide for tea practitioners, merchants, and connoisseurs during the late Edo era.
This volume focuses extensively on 茶壺 (tea jars) — essential objects in the Japanese tea ceremony — and describes numerous shapes, regional kiln characteristics, glazes, and symbolic motifs. Each vessel is accompanied by handwritten-style printed annotations explaining names, origins, proportions, and aesthetic qualities used to evaluate authentic pieces.
Historical Significance
Manpō Zensho (“Complete Treasury of Ten Thousand Treasures”) is one of the major Edo-era compendiums documenting material culture. Books in this series provided merchants and artisans with a standardized vocabulary to recognize:
- authentic tea jars
- regional pottery styles
- storage jar shapes
- kiln traditions
- functional and ceremonial vessels
These manuals were used daily, meaning most surviving copies show wear or are incomplete. A fully illustrated volume like this is considered rare and desirable for collectors of Japanese antiques and tea culture.
Contents of This Volume
The book includes:
- Detailed line illustrations of tea jars, storage jars, incense jars, and ritual ceramic shapes
- Descriptions of famous kiln regions and stylistic differences
- Explanations of jar proportions and identifying marks
- Traditional vocabulary used by Edo-period appraisers
- Notes on material, glaze, rim style, neck form, and foot construction
- Charts and boxed text for quick reference
- Red seals indicating historical ownership or appraisal
This edition retains its original indigo-blue cover (藍表紙) with stab-sewn binding (和本), showing authentic Edo-era.
Why This Book Is Rare
✔ Edo-period original woodblock printing
✔ Specialized content focused on tea jars — highly sought-after theme
✔ Clean interior pages with strong impressions
✔ Illustrated reference manuals of ceramics are extremely popular among collectors
✔ Increasingly scarce due to age (circa mid-to-late Edo period)
This is an exceptional item for collectors of tea ceremony antiques, Japanese ceramics, Edo-period books, and historical artisan manuals.
