Ye Sette of Odd Volumes, Limmer's Hotel, Friday, June the Third, 1892

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[London] : Ye Sette, 1892. 

The menu of the ‘Japanese Night’ dinner held in 1892 by members of Ye Sette of Odd Volumes (an English club of bibliophiles founded by bookdealer Bernard Quaritch in 1878) and attended by many members of the Japan Society. The night is known to have been attended by, amongst others, Narinori Okoshi, Captain Y. Kawara, Arthur Diosy, Charles Holme (founder of The Studio magazine), Marcus Huish, Richard Le Gallienne (poet and lover of Oscar Wilde), publisher John Lane, Sette Vice-President and necromancer Edward Heron-Allen, Ito Hirobumi, Sir Francis Piggot, Sir Alfred East, H. S. Ashbee, Sir Lawrence Alma-Tadema, and, as guest of Heron-Allen, Oscar Wilde. Wilde delivered a brief speech at the end of the evening, declaring his long-standing interest in Japan. Huish also gave a speech, titled ‘An Apology for Japanese Art’, and, as the Sette’s artist, designed the menu. For this he used the image of a group of Japanese men sitting in a circle to suggest that in Japan a similar bibliophilic gathering was discussing an apology for English art. The menu itself included dishes such as ‘St. Germain a la Tokio’ and ‘Foie Gras en Aspic a la Kogoshima [sic]’. In fine condition, and an interesting record of late 19th century Anglo-Japanese relations. 

Slight browning to extremities (mostly just to verso), otherwise near fine to fine. Printed in black and red, with a quote by Confucius to the title. 1 folded leaf, complete. 22 x 15 cm. Text in English.

Ye Sette of Odd Volumes, Limmer's Hotel, Friday, June the Third, 1892
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