裁縫教科書 渡邉辰五郎編纂 / Saihō no kyōkasho (Sewing Textbook, 3 volumes)

Late Meiji era woodblock printed sewing and tailoring textbooks full of copious patterns and illustrations for constructing haori, hakama, kimono and other traditional garments for men and women, with much attention paid to measurements, calculating by proportion, and other tailoring skills.

Edited by Tatsugoro Watanabe, a tailor-turned-educator who helped found several women's training schools during the Meiji Restoration, including Chiba Women's Normal School, Tokyo Women's Normal School, and Kyoritsu Women's Vocational School. He believed in growing the power of the middle class and that sewing should be taught as a foundational skill that could be developed into a professional occupation for women.

3 volumes, ca. 1897-1907. 8vo, wraps. Complete set in Very Good condition with soil to exteriors and a thumbprint-sized tear from the cover of volume one; student's name and dates (Asa Suda, Meiji 38 and 39) written on each of the rear wraps next to abrasions that appear to have erased an earlier name. Contents remain bright and clean. Researched and described with the aid of Google Translate, with apologies for any errors.