Tokyo: mid-19th century
Nicholas Cleary Collection, GTM-000020
The Nicholas Cleary Collection, originally only this wood box with its inscription and contents, went through many changes over the decades, The box gained a dozen or so additions of other material in a variety of Asian scripts and print, but was separated from its original contents, which included this map, referenced in the faint message inscribed on the lid of the box. The map was recently conserved by the Library.
The faint message inscribed on the lid of the box reads:
Map of the Imperial City of Yeddo, or Jeddo, Japan, and a book of illustrations of costumes, to be presented to the Library of George Town College by my son Nick from his devoted father.
Nicholas Cleary
Shanghai, China 1860