Hearn, Lafcaido

i) The Boy Who Drew Cats (no. 23). [1898], 8vo (190 x 135mm.), first large crêpe-paper edition, third state (with no writing above the image of the branch and vase on the recto of the lower wrapper), with 5 full-page colour Japanese woodcuts and further illustrations throughout, wrapper very slightly faded  and some light creasing to pages;

ii) The Goblin Spider (second series, no. 1). [1899], 12mo (150 x 104mm.), second crêpe-paper edition (with titles listed 1-20 and 1-3 on the recto of the lower wrapper), variant state (without publisher's address below the list of titles), one double-page colour woodcut, 3 full-page woodcuts and further illustrations throughout, light pencil inscription on first page;



iii) The Old Woman who lost her Dumpling (no. 24). [1902], 8vo (190 x 135mm.), first large crêpe-paper edition (with Chin Chin Kobakana listed as "in the press" on list of titles and with "Dumplings" in the title on first page of text), with 3 full-page colour Japanese woodcuts and further illustrations throughout, small tear to the upper right corner of the upper wrapper, slightly affecting title;



iv) Chin Chin Kobakama (no. 25). [1903], 8vo (135 x 190mm., early large crêpe-paper edition (with date of printing as "10 March 1903", date of publication as "15 March 1903", and publisher's address listed as "17 Kami Negishi, Tokyo" on verso of lower wrapper), with 2 full-page Japanese woodcut illustrations; all printed on crêpe paper, original printed pictorial crêpe wrappers tied with blue silk threads, blue morocco-backed collector's box (4)

Perkins, Percival Densmore, Lafcaido Hearn, A bibliography of his writings (Boston and New York: 1934) pp.33-36; 44-45; 47-49; BAL i) 7930 state B; ii) 7932; iii) 7937 state B; iv) 7939 state C

The Japanese Fairy Tales Series was printed using the traditional Japanese woodblock method, producing wonderful coloured illustrations to illuminate almost every page. However, as noted by the BAL, this technique makes it difficult to identify true earliest printings, since the blocks wore out and needed to be replaced at varying rates, without the colophon necessarily being updated. 

Regardless, these FINE COPIES of early - if not perhaps the earliest - states of Hearn's contributions to the series are as delightful as when they first appeared. He was to add only one further title to these four stories, the Fountain of Youth, which appeared in 1922.