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85 JAHAN, Sultan, Nawab Begum of Bhopal. An Account of my Life; [together with] The Táj-ul Ikbál Tárikh Bhopal; or, The History of Bhopal. London, Bombay & Calcutta: John Murray; The Times Press; & Thacker, Spink & Co., 1910 & 1922; 1876 the last muslim female ruler in bhopal Uncommon first editions. These copies are sumptuously presented and, although unmarked as such, are from the Harewood House library of Mary, Princess Royal and Countess of Harewood, only daughter of George V and Queen Mary, who was made a Companion of the Crown of India in 1919. Sultan Jahan, Begum of Bhopal (1858–1930), ruled Bhopal State from 1901 until 1926. During this time, she enacted a series of innovative reformist policies such as the creation of workshops in prisons, the establishment of schools and colleges for Muslim and Hindu women, and improvements to general sanitation in the region. As part of these measures, she founded the Lady Lansdowne Hospital for Women and the Lady Hardinge Infant Home, which housed, fed, and clothed orphan and destitute children, both of which are still active. She was awarded the title of Knight Grand Commander in 1910 and Companion of the Order of the Crown of India in 1911. Her History of Bhopal “abounds with lists of improvements that she introduced in the early years of her reign, particularly to the revenue and judicial systems that had fallen into disarray during the final years of her mother’s administration” (Lambert-Hurley). A further volume of the autobiography was published in 1927. Like Shah Jahan Begum, Princess Mary (1897–1965) was civic-minded and took a great interest in charity work, playing an active role in the Girl Guide movement, the Voluntary Aid Detachment (VAD), and Land Girls. She is described by her biographer Elisabeth Basford as “The First Modern Princess”.
Two works bound in three volumes, octavo (210 × 130 mm; 213 × 119 mm). Uniformly bound in strong blue crushed morocco, spines with five raised bands each, sharply lettered in gilt on spines and front covers, decorative panelling to compartments and covers, white moire silk endpapers, gilt turn-ins, edges gilt. Plates and maps. Very good indeed. ¶ Siobhan Lambert-Hurley, Muslim Women, Reform and Princely Patronage: Nawab Sultan Jahan Begam of Bhopal , 2007. £4,500 [160494] 86 JAMESON, Storm. In the Second Year. London: Cassell and Company Limited, 1936 “There is no liberty except in obedience” First edition, first impression, inscribed by the author on the front free endpaper, “For Agnes & Oswald, with love, from Storm Jameson”. Part of the anti-fascist tradition of the 1930s, this scarce dystopian novel was inspired by the Night of the Long Knives and the emergence of Nazi rule. A highly prodigious writer with a “mania against domestic life” ( ODNB ), Jameson also worked, amongst other things, as a publisher, journalist, playwright, and translator, and was the first woman to become President of the British chapter of International PEN, holding the post from 1937 to 1945. Octavo. Original black boards, spine lettered in gilt. With dust jacket. Spine cocked, ends a little rubbed, edges foxed, offsetting to endpapers, a very good copy in like dust jacket, toned and foxed, edges nicked, with a couple of chips and short closed tears, a scarce example presenting well. £2,750 [161979]
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87 JAPANESE FLOWER ARRANGING. Illustrated manuscript of arrangements. Japan: c.1850 the privilege of freedom and expression A beautiful manuscript from the Yoshin school of flower arranging (“ikebana”), showing layouts and the colourful vessels used to support them. Although originally a samurai pastime, by the 19th century ikebana had become a pursuit for refined women and increasingly a part of idealized visions of femininity. In more recent decades, however, female practitioners are using their work to upset these very same ideals. Ikebana first emerged in Japan in the 15th century, before gradually filtering downwards to other social classes. “Just as no two flowers are quite the same, neither are any two ikebana arrangements, even if the same flowers are used in both. The privilege of freedom and expression allowed ikebana not only to survive, but to evolve and prosper” (Chiba). The Yoshin school was founded by Seiryusai Ichinyo in 1840. During the post-war period, with the rise of skilled female practitioners (including
Tashigahara Kasumi, Ohara Wakako, and Adachi Toko) whose fame eclipsed that of their male masters, ikebana’s cultural status continued to evolve. The history of flower arranging “helps us rethink Japanese feminisms, which have tended to emphasize how traditional gender roles limited women’s options, by revealing how some women were able to capitalize on gender norms embedded in traditional arts to empower themselves and forge independent lives” (Stalker, p. 116). Two volumes, quarto (265 × 195 mm). Original patterned black paper wrappers, recently renewed green thread yotsume toji stitching, spine ends capped with blue silk, front covers with blue title labels lettered in manuscript. Housed in a custom brown folding case with bone toggles. With colour painting of Seiryusai Ichinyo, 143 similar illustrations of flower arrangements, 4 manuscript pages. Red collector’s seal of one Sato Yasuji on first leaf in each volume. Covers bright, extremities worn, especially at spine ends, internally clean and still fresh. A very good example indeed. ¶ Kaeko Chiba, Japanese Flower Culture – An Introduction , 2022; Nancy Stalker, “Flower Empowerment: Rethinking Japan’s Traditional Arts as Women’s Labor”, in Julia C. Bullock & others, eds, Rethinking Japanese Feminisms , 2018. £5,000 [161698] 87
All items are fully described and photographed at peterharrington.co.uk
LOUDER THAN WORDS
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