1927 Rare Sangorski Binding - Kwaidan, Japanese Ghost Stories by Lafcadio Hearn

Author: Lafcadio Hearn.
Title: Kwaidan: Stories and Studies of Strange Things.
Publisher: London, Jonathan Cape, Travellers’ Library, 1927. First Issue in the Travellers' Library.
Language: Text in English. 
Size: 6.5" x 4.5".
Pages: 223 pages.
Binding: Exquisite and very good full ochre morocco binding by Sangorski & Sutcliffe, London, with raised bands, gilt floral tools in compartments, and gilt-stamped central rosettes on both boards. Gilt-tooled turn-ins with red and gold patterned doublures, gilt edges (hinges fine, overall slightly worn and scuffed - as shown) under a protective removable mylar cover. Housed in a very good matching slipcase. A masterwork of English fine binding, presenting the text in a luxurious presentation.
Content: Near fine content (bright, tight and clean - as shown). 

Estimate: (USD 400–500).

The book: Lafcadio Hearn’s Kwaidan (1904) remains one of the definitive collections of Japanese ghost stories and folklore available in English. From chilling tales like “Yuki-Onna” and “Mimi-Nashi-Hoichi” to philosophical insect studies, Hearn’s work bridges the eerie and the reflective, offering readers a rare glimpse into Japan’s supernatural traditions. This 1927 Jonathan Cape edition, issued in the publisher’s Travellers’ Library series, is here elevated into an extraordinary collector’s piece through the artistry of Sangorski & Sutcliffe.

The author: Lafcadio Hearn (1850–1904), later known as Koizumi Yakumo, was a Greek-Irish writer who became Japan’s most influential Western interpreter. His works, deeply empathetic to Japanese tradition, remain celebrated for their haunting beauty and cultural insight.

The binder: Sangorski & Sutcliffe, founded in London in 1901, is world-renowned for its sumptuous bindings, particularly jeweled and gilt-tooled masterpieces. Their craftsmanship, marked by precision and artistic elegance, makes this binding of Kwaidan a true collector’s treasure.