Finely illustrated scroll on paper, entitled in manuscript on gold paper label on outside “Tokugawa bakufu daikansho Ikuno ginzan emaki mono” 徳川幕府代官所生野銀山絵巻物 [“Magistrates Office of the Tokugawa Bakufu at Ikuno Silver Mine, Illustrated Scroll”]

1938. Scroll (275 x 13,850 mm.), borders of speckled silver, inner front endpaper with silver decoration, outer side covered with gold & red silk brocade, inner wooden core roller. At end (in trans.): “Adachi Ginrei 足立銀嶺 [the artist]…copied by Ōju 應需, 1938.”


A richly illustrated scroll, in fine colors including metallic pigments such as silver, of the mining activities at the Ikuno silver mine.


Silver was mined at the Ikuno Ginzan (Ikuno silver mine) from the 9th century until the late 20th century and was an important source of income for the shogunate. There were several entrances to the mine. The main tunnel was 2.6 km long and extended 1 km deep. Lead, copper, zinc, and gold were extracted, along with silver. More than 20,000 residents were in some way involved in the local mining industry. One of the most productive periods for the mine was the 18th century, when, in some months, the production of silver reached about 562 kilograms.


This is a long and fine scroll concerning the mine with many scenes. The beginning images depict a procession on the second day of the year, with workers and government officials making offerings for good fortune. Following are scenes of the several entrances to the mine, offices and storage facilities, and miners preparing to enter the mine, carrying baskets. Remarkably, a long (755 mm.) shikake 仕掛け flap (“trick picture”) is attached and present underneath the scroll itself, depicting the mine shafts and activities of the labor. On the scroll itself, there are two deliberately cut-away sections (each suggesting the shikake below): one of an entrance to the mine and another of a grilled escapeway for the mine’s water.


This is followed by scenes of laborers in the river sifting away impurities; various smelting and refining processes and furnaces (including an image of the nanban process); government officials observing and keeping records of output, using the abacus; liquid silver flowing out of the furnace; officials weighing and recording the finished product; the transportation of the silver to Osaka in a procession with dignitaries in a palanquin, laborers and horses carrying the silver (the trademarks of silver merchants are present on the horses’ saddles); the reception of the silver at Osaka by officials; the treasury inside Osaka Castle; and finally, an extended scene of festivities at the silver mine following the successful delivery of the silver.


Each segment of the scroll has a manuscript title and text describing the following scenes, and within each image are many labels giving titles, functions, and mining terminology.


In fine condition, preserved in a box. (Inventory #: 10804)