『Photographer of the Japanese Printing Industry』 (全日本印刷界寫眞大鑑, 1929)
Researching the distribution of modern type, I've always been curious about the locations, scale, and employees of past type factories and printing houses, but I've always felt a pang of curiosity, a pang of regret that I can't provide specifics. I've often wished I had a time machine, and when I first discovered this book, it felt like I'd found a small time machine. The title begins with "All Japan...", but at the time, "All Japan" included Joseon and Taiwan. It provides information on Japanese companies as well as Joseon (Gyeongseong, Daegu), providing information on modern printing houses through lithographic prints and separately attached photographs. The binding is also luxurious, with a file-like structure bound with string, adding to the sense of rarity.
This book, rather than being a general publication, feels more like a report. Given its nature, it's not a mass-produced book. It will require extensive analysis and research.
