Commerce

1893 · 171903 — Z. Takenouchi. 明治 26 1893. Striking black and white wood engraved illustrations 32pp 26.6 x 19.5cm very good copy. This is a fascinating catalogue of Takenouchi Safes from 1893 with detailed illustrations specifications and prices. Takenouchi was the first safe manufacturer in Japan and the business was very successful numbering the Royal Household and major companies amongst their clients. The idea of the business started soon after Yokohama was opened as a trading port. The founder's father an iron monger was asked to repair a British businessman's safe after it was damaged by fire. He learned how effective the safe was in protecting its contents from the fire. Since fires were frequent and hazardous in Japan his son Zenjiro Takenouchi founded the business to produce fireproof safes in Japan. The company obtained numerous patents and had the reputation for safes that were extremely robust and difficult to break-in. This reputation still survives today. <br> <br>The catalogue includes beautiful engravings of the company's shopfront factory and trademarks and of numerous versions of its safes. These show the thick steel doors which were elegantly decorated with distinctively Japanese designs including images of pine trees. The inner drawers of the safes were made of paulonia wood which protects the contents from humidity. The brochure gives specifications and prices weighing scales also illustrated details of the effectiveness of safes letters of appreciation from clients who managed to rescue their valuables from fire hazards and a list of businesses who used their safes. The clients included Mitsui Trading Company branches in China and India and Kanematsu in Sydney. . Z. Takenouchi. unknown