In which women could all use a little jujutsu skill for dismantling and protecting oneself from the patriarchy.

The Fine Art of Jujutsu was the first book on Kodokan judo in English written by a woman, emphasising women’s self-defence. Emily Diana Watts studied from 1903 at a Golden Square dojo, and taught her own classes from 1906 when this book was published. At the time jujutsu and judo were commonly conflated, thus the title and the phrase “jujutsu suffragette” in use at the time. Illustrated with 141 fantastic and extraordinary action photographs throughout of Watts in her jujutsu costume complete with Victorian bird’s nest bun.

Watts later wrote a book on calisthenics and traveled to provide lectures and demonstrations for 40 years. Illustrated with 141 actions photographs by G W Beldam throughout.

London: William Heinemann, 1906. First edition. Hardback. 4to. Viii, 146 pp. Publisher’s green cloth with black lettering and black and white photograph onlay at front, lettered gilt at spine. Crease at front cover, slightly edgeworn, onlay a little rubbed, else a clean, very good copy of this scarce book.