Two Uncommon Oblong-Sized Sleeve Shunga Booklets With 31 Exciting Images
Marijn Kruijff
07/08/2019
6 min
4

Two Uncommon Oblong-Sized Sleeve Shunga Booklets With 31 Exciting Images

07/08/2019
6 min
4

A rare set of oblong sleeve shunga booklets attributed to Utagawa Kunimori (act. ca.1818-1843). The rabbit figures depicted on the book covers refer to the Year of the Rabbit (c.1843) according to the Chinese zodiac sign date.

Various Locations

The twelve color illustrated pages feature sensual couples on various locations. The books are printed with great care and detail such as excellent use of gold pigments.

Sleeve of the Kimono

The B&W illustrations feature some striking close-ups including sex toys. These kind of booklets were issued only in small editions. They were easy to carry around in the sleeve of the kimono.

shunga booklet

Two closed sleeve shunga booklets‘ (c.1840) attributed to Utagawa Kunimori (act. ca.1818-1843)

shunga booklet

Oiran and client groping each other’s genitals‘ (c.1843)

shunga booklet

Couple making love on a pleasure boat observed by an aroused older male‘ (c.1843)

shunga booklet

‘Passionate encounter in the open-air near a stone lantern (tōrō) ‘ (c.1843)

shunga booklet

A Japanese beauty is drying her face. On the right a bowl with tassel on top surrounded by the beloved Japanese morning glory* – flower ‘ (c.1843)

shunga booklet

A secretive couple have interrupted their dinner and are now involved in the introductory acts for love-making during a spring afternoon‘ (c.1843)

shunga booklet

A male is suckling one of the nipples of his spouse. Her curled toes are an indication of her pleasure ‘ (c.1843)

shunga booklet

In an unlit room (the candle has blown out!) a male is penetrating his lover from the rear‘ (c.1843)

shunga booklet

A sensual couple on the top floor of a brothel in the moonlight‘ (c.1843)

shunga booklet

A colorful scene with the couple almost completely covered by their clothing and garments. The fallen geisha pilow (takamakura) emphasizes their passion‘ (c.1843)

shunga booklet

An enticing image of a geisha wiping the sake from the corners of her mouth while watching the silhouettes of a procession in the streets at night‘ (c.1843)

shunga booklet

A couple passionately kissing. The dislodged hair-pin is a nice detail‘ (c.1843)

shunga booklet

A voracious nude couple is passionately making love underneath a mosquito-netting‘ (c.1843)

The books also include some amusing B&W illustration of close-up genitalia, faces and sex toys…

shunga booklet

shunga booklet

shunga booklet

shunga booklets

shunga booklets

shunga booklet

shunga booklet

shunga booklets

shunga booklet

shunga booklet

shunga booklet

shunga booklets

shunga booklet

shunga booklet

shunga booklet

shunga booklet

shunga booklets

shunga booklet

Unfortunately the set has been sold already..!

Click HERE for another charming sleeve book set…!!

* Japanese morning glory (Ipomoea nil) are traditional garden plants that are fashionable in Japan

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