Fumio Maekawa "Wild Orchids of Japan"

[CWNARGS]

The Columbia-Willamette Chapter of the North American Rock Garden Society has, in its library, a book by Fumio Maekawa "Wild Orchids of Japan" published in 1971. Several hundred pages, mostly in Japanese, some English, with excellent water color of every species. Appears to have been privately published. As we are planning to dispose of our library, we are attempting to determine the value of this book.

Web searches have found references in scholarly papers. EBay and used book dealer websites searches have
yielded no copies in trade at this time. Does anyone have knowledge of this book and its
value?
Thanks for any guidance.

[lambelkip]

the book you're referring to, 原色日本の蘭 (Genshoku Nihon no Ran, Wild orchids of Japan) was published by Seibundo-Shinkosha in Tokyo in 1971. your copy has probably been re-bound, which can make it look like it was privately published. Amazon.co.jp currently has copies available for 40,600 to 75,000 yen ($414 to $765 U.S. at the current exchange rate). I would say $400 is reasonable for a copy in good condition, $765 is quite a bit too much. i would expect significantly less for one that has been re-bound. auction it off on ebay, see what you get.

[Alice-jp]

Lambelkip has already answered this, but as of today, there are five copies available on Amazon Japan, used, for prices ranging from 31,999 yen to 42,000 yen, or about $300 to $420. I also found a few copies listed on independent book seller's websites, for prices ranging from 25,000 yen (about $250) to 42,000 yen ($420). That should give you an idea of the market for it, at least in Japan.

[Ray]

Its value and Japan and its value here might differ significantly.