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Katsushika HOKUSAI (1760-1849)
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An original painting, full colour on paper, 48.75 x 13.75 in; 124 x 35 cms. Shows Kintaro (aka Sakata no Kintoki) riding a large Chinese shishi lion. Kintaro was a child of prodigious strength who had a vermillion-coloured body. He is often depicted with the mountain creatures from Mount Ashigara where he was raised and in particular wrestling with giant mountain bears. He carries his huge battle-axe. Riding lions/tigers is illustrated elsewhere: specifically Kato Kiyomasa (Watonai) hunting and eventually subduing tigers in Korea. There are also images of Kintoki riding a bear. Signed Hachijuhachi rojin Manji hitsu, “Brush of Manji, old man of eighty-eight.” Seal Hyaku, “Hundred.” Twenty-six paintings are known from his eighty-eighth year, although given the attrition rate for paintings, he probably produced many more.
The painting is a wonderful example of Hokusai’s free handling of the brush style on a full kakemono. Some slight creasing, otherwise good condition.
Status: Available
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Taiso YOSHITOSHI (1839-1892)
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Minamoto no Ushiwakamura battling with Kumasaka Chohan. From the fine set Yoshitoshi mushaburui, “Yoshitoshi’s Courageous Warriors.” Published by Kobayashi, 1883-1886 (this being 1883).
Fine impression and colour. Light toning, otherwise fine condition. This is the first edition. There are a number of later states and the set was republished by Tsunajima in 1886.
Status: Sold
Ohara HOSON (Aka SHOSON, KOSON) (1877-1945)
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A rooster and weasel. Published by Kawaguchi, c. 1930. The first and only edition. Ex Robert O. Muller collection. Rare.
Very fine impression, colour and condition. Signed Hoson. Copyright seal in lower right margin; seal of printer, Komatsu, and carver, Maeda, in lower left margin.
Status: Sold
Utgawa HIROSHIGE (1797-1858)
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Kurodai, black sea bream (Acantho pagus schlegeli) and akadai, red bream (Pagus tumifrons) together with bamboo shoots and Japanese pepper. Poems by Tomigaki Uchiyasu and Kaoan Hoshi. From the first series of ten plus one prints published by Eijudo, c. 1832-34. The set was issued privately for a poetry group (probably the Shingyoku Circle) with judges’ names and extra poems. These prints are of the utmost rarity as probably only enough for the Circle were printed and they seldom come onto the market.
Fine, early impression before the grey block defect on the tail of the black sea bream. Fine colour. Slight centre fold (as usual), otherwise very good condition. Full size. Kruml 10b (Andon 49). Signed Ichiyusai Hiroshige.
Status: Sold
Utagawa HIROSHIGE (1797-1858)
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Shimadai, grouper (probably Chilodactylus zonatus) and ainame, greenling (Hexagrammus otakii) together with red-berried nanten. Poem by Kanshunro Nushibito. Probably the first edition (Kruml 18a). From the second series of fish published by Yamasho c. 1840-42.
Fine impression, colour and condition. Signed Hiroshige ga.
Status: Sold
Utagawa HIROSHIGE (1797-1858)
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The extremely rare first, private printing of Bora, the grey mullet (Mugil cephalus) with camellia and Japanese asparagusado. From a set of 10 prints in folding album form, privately commissioned for a poetry club, c 1832-34. Poems by Higaki Kunifune and Toshinoto Haruki. The judges’ names next to the poems. These were removed on the commercial editions. Rare because of the obvious reason that the numbers printed were directly related to the relatively small memberships of poetry groups.
Fine impression and colour of the earliest printing without kiwame seal and publisher’s seal. With judges’ names and without gradation at top. Centre fold (as always), otherwise very good condition. Signed Ichiyusai Hiroshige ga. Unknown collector’s seal au verso.
Status: Sold
Utagawa HIROSHIGE (1797-1858)
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Inada, yellowtail or amberjack (Seriola quinqueradiata) and fugu, blowfish or puffer (Fugu pardalis). Together with plum blossom. Poem by Suzugaki. From the second set of 9 prints published by Yamasho, c 1840-42. (Some designs on the reprints have the publisher’s mark Marujin.)
Extremely early impression before the block defect below the fugu’s tail is evident. Fine colour with extensive mica on the inada. Some slight creasing, otherwise very good condition. Full size. Signed Hiroshige ga.
Status: Sold
Utagawa HIROSHIGE (1797-1858)
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Katsuo, bonito (Kasuwonus pelamis). Also called ocean bonito, strip-bellied bonito and striped tuna. Together with three sprigs of cherry (sakura). Poems by Toshinoto Haruki and Toshihiro Machikado. From the first commercial edition of the first series published by Eijudo, c 1832-34.
Early impression with the kiwame and publisher’s seal sharp. Fine colour. Some slight creasing, otherwise very good condition. Full size. Signed Ichiyusai Hiroshige ga.
Status: Sold
Utagawa HIROSHIGE (1797-1858)
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Kochi, bartail flatheads (Platycephalus indictus). Together with a flowering egg-plant, nasu. Poems by Yoshigaki Toshimochi and Magaki Harutomo. From the first commercial edition of the first series published by Eijudo, c 1832-34.
Early impression with the kiwame and publisher’s seal sharp. Fine colour. Some slight creasing, otherwise very good condition. Full size. Signed Ichiyusai Hiroshige ga.
Status: Sold
Utagawa HIROSHIGE (1797-1858)
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A vertical diptych showing a multitude of cranes flying up from a cresting wave to a large red sun. In fact this diptych was used by an Edo publisher as end sheets to albums – usually sets of Hiroshige landscapes. Rare: Invariably it is impossible to match the two sheets as the bottom design is always graded blue at the top. Another matching impression is illustrated pl. 143 in Four Hundred Ukiyoe Woodblock Prints From The Museum Of Art, Rhode Island School Of Design, Abby Aldrich Rockefeller Collection Of Japanese Prints, 1990. Another impression is known with a large red seal at a slight angle bottom right. (This may be the first state but rather spoils the design.) Published 5/1858.
Fine impression and colour. Small expertly repaired binding holes, otherwise very good condition. Signed Hiroshige hitsu with Ichiryusai seal.
Status: Sold
Utagawa HIROSHIGE (1797-1858)
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A pheasant on a snow-covered pine. Published by Kawaguchi Shozo, c. 1830s (seal top left).
Fine impression and colour. Minimal trimming, otherwise very good condition. Signed Hiroshige hitsu.
Status: Sold
Utagawa KUNIYOSHI (1797-1861)
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Four cats, the first sheet of a triptych Tatoe zukushi no uchi, “Proverbs Illustrated by Cats.” Examples being: “Bonito to a cat,” “Coin to a cat,” “Not even a cat would eat it.” Published 1852 by Kagaya Yasubei. Bob-tailed and calico cats were common in the Edo period. It is well known that Kuniyoshi was a cat-lover and Yoshimune, one of his pupils, relates how they were allowed to run around his studio and when a cat died he would have it sent to a nearby temple. He also had a Buddhist altar erected in his home for his deceased cats. Another pupil of Kuniyoshi’s was Kyosai and he depicts the chaotic studio with cats and other artists milling around in his illustrated book Kyosai kadan, part II, vol. 3, of 1887. Of the utmost rarity: I have not catalogued another sheet from this triptych in 50 years.
Very fine impression and colour. One minor blemish, otherwise very fine condition. Signed Ichiyusai Kuniyoshi ga. (All the cats have blind-printing on their coats which is not apparent on the illustrated examples of this print. Possibly due to the reproductive process.)
Status: Sold
Utagawa HIROSHIGE (1797-1858)
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A chuban print showing two house swallows and wisteria. Although Hiroshige is recognised as one of the pre-eminent landscape artists, many of his most beautiful designs are in the uchiwa-e format and kachoga.
Fine impression and colour. Several expertly repaired wormholes, otherwise very good condition. Signed Hiroshige hitsu.
Status: Sold
Utagawa HIROSHIGE (1797-1858)
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A medium tanzaku showing a Java sparrow on a magnolia branch. Published by Kawasho (Kawaguchi Shozo) c early 1830s. Another example of this design has an overall light pink ground rather than the light yellow graded up, as here. Another impression is illustrated in Kikuchi , A Treasury of Japanese Wood Block Prints Ukiyo-e, NY, 1968, no. 1477.
Fine impression with blind-printing on the bird’s breast. Very good colour. Minimal soil at bottom, otherwise very good condition. Signed Hiroshige hitsu with Ichiryusai seal.
Status: Sold
Utagawa HIROSHIGE (1797-1858)
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Kami, crab (Charybois) and saba, mackerel (Scomber Japonicus) together with two flowers of morning glory. Poem by Shichichintei. This is the first edition (Kruml 19a). From the second series of fish published by Yamasho c. 1840-42. Collector’s seal Hayashi bottom right corner.
Fine impression, colour and condition. Signed Hiroshige ga.
Status: Sold
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Utagawa KUNIYOSHI (1797-1861)
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Six cats, the last sheet of a triptych Tatoe zukushi no uchi, “Proverbs Illustrated by Cats.” Examples being: “Bonito to a cat,” “Coin to a cat,” “Not even a cat would eat it.” Published 1852 by Kagaya Yasubei. Bob-tailed and calico cats were common in the Edo period. It is well known that Kuniyoshi was a cat lover and Yoshimune, one of his pupils, relates how they were allowed to run around his studio and when a cat died he would have it sent to a nearby temple. He also had a Buddhist altar erected in his home for his deceased cats. Another pupil of Kuniyoshi’s was Kyosai and he depicts the chaotic studio with cats and other artists milling around in his illustrated book Kyosai kadan, part II, vol. 3, of 1887. Of the utmost rarity: I had not catalogued another sheet from the triptych until the last year.
Superb impression with extensive blind-printing on the cat’s coats. Fine colour. Slight centre fold and light backing, otherwise very good condition. Signed Ichiyusai Kuniyoshi ga.
Status: Sold
Utagawa HIROSHIGE (1797-1858)
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A half-block print showing a Japanese cormorant (?) and iris. Printed only in grades of sumi. In fact, this and the other half is illustrated in: Four Hundred Ukiyoe Woodblock Prints From The Museum Of Art, Rhode Island School Of Design, 1990, no. 166, p. 72 which shows fish and hydrangea on the other side. This is an aizuri print. The quality of impression here leads me to believe this might be a proof impression. Published by Shimizuya Naojiro, c early 1840s.
Fine impression, colour and codition. Signed Hiroshige hitsu.
Status: Sold
Utagawa HIROSHIGE (1797-1858)
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A large panel showing a parrot on a flowering crab apple branch. This is the very rare first edition published by Jakurindo (Wakasaya Yoichi). It was reissued by Kikakudo (Sanoya Kihei). Published c. early 1830s. Hiroshige is rightly regarded as the leading landscape artist. However, many of his finest designs are in the fan (uchiwa-e) and bird and flower (kacho-e) genres. They are not so well known because of their often great rarity.
Fine impression. Very good colour. Slight trimming, otherwise very good condition. Signed Hiroshige hitsu.
Status: Sold
Takahashi SHOTEI (HIROAKI) (1871-1945)
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A large design (20 x 13.75 in; 51 x 35 cms) on thick hosho showing a ginger cat and tomato plant. Two versions are known of this design: As here and with the cat having a black and white coat. An edition of only 100 prints was published by Fusui Gabo, 1931. This is an extremely rare proof print with the printer’s seal hand-stamped bottom right Ono Tomisaburo. At the bottom are the numerals: 6.12.10 standing for Showa 6, 12th month, 10th day (1931). Interestingly, the published edition of prints employs baren-suji – the pattern of baren marks left in the background, not evident on this proof. Shotei (he changed his name in 1921) must have been fond of cats as he designed a number of other prints but this is by far and away the best.
Very fine impression with extensive blind printing on the cat’s coat. Fine colour. Slight discolouration in margin at top left and right, otherwise very good condition. Signed Showa 6, 8th month, Hiroaki saku with Hiroaki seal.
Status: Sold
Ichiryusai HIROSHIGE (1797-1858)
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Ichiryusai HIROSHIGE (1797-1858)
A bluebird and a branch of wild rose. A chuban print published c 1835-9. A very similar design with the same poem is in the Museum of Fine Arts, Boston, acquisition number 21.9729 and also a chutanzaku design, acquisition number 21.7997. Rare.
Fine impression. Very good colour. Minor marks, otherwise very good condition. Signed Ichiryusai Hiroshige hitsu with Ichiryusai seal.
Status: Sold
Ichiryusai HIROSHIGE (1797-1858)
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A Java sparrow on a clematis vine. A sanchogake format (three designs printed on a horizontal sheet and intended to be separated). Published c 1835-9. This is the first edition with the cube-shaped red Hiroshige seal. Two later impressions are in the Museum of Fine Arts, Boston, acquisition numbers 21.9590 and 65.1671. Rare.
Fine impression and colour. Minor marks, otherwise very good condition. Signed Hiroshige hitsu.
Status: Sold
Utagawa HIROSHIGE (1797-1858)
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A half-block, 8.75 x 6.5 in; 22.5 x 16.5 cms, print showing a Japanese crane standing in water with a flowering plant (a variety of Berberis ?). Published c. late 1840s by Tsutaya Kichizo. Unidentified collector’s seal au verso.
Very good impression, colour and condition. Signed Hiroshige hitsu.
Status: Sold
Utagawa HIROSHIGE (1797-1858)
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A third-of-a-block (ko-tanzaku) print, 13.5 x 3 in; 34 x 7.25 cms, showing a sparrow and cherry blossom. Published c. mid 1840s. Unidentified publisher’s seal. These narrow panels are often poorly printed, but not in this case.
Very fine impression: beautiful gradation. Fine colour and condition. Signed Hiroshige hitsu.
Status: Sold
Ohara HOSON (Aka SHOSON, KOSON) (1877-1945)
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A mother monkey holding a persimmon and four playful babies. Published by Kawaguchi, c. 1930. The first and only edition. Ex Robert O. Muller collection. Rare.
Very fine impression, colour and condition. Signed Hoson. Copyright seal in lower right margin; seal of printer, Komatsu, and carver, Maeda, in lower left margin. Kawaguchi catalogue number “28” on reverse.
Status: Sold
Utagawa KUNIMARU (1794-1829)
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An uchiwa-e (fan print) showing summer flowers : hydrangea, peony, iris, chrysanthemum, morning glory, etc against a yellow ground. Of the utmost rarity: possibly the only recorded example. Published by Ibaya Senzaburo with date seal Bunsei 10 (1827). Ex Werner Schindler collection, seal au verso, and illustrated in Masterpieces of ukiyo-e prints from the Schindler collection, Kondo/Suzuki, Tokyo, 1985, pl. 165, p. 140.
Fine impression; very good colour and condition. Signed Kunimaru hitsu.
Status: Sold
Utagawa HIROSHIGE (1797-1858)
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A bora, grey mullet (Mugil cephalus), together with camellia and Japanese asparagusudo. This impression is from the extremely rare first private edition for a poetry club with the judges’ names beside the kyoka poems by Higaki Kunifune and Toshinoto Haruki. From a set of ten prints published – most likely – by Eijudo around 1832-34. These prints were subsequently issued commercially by Eijudo with his seal and a kiwame seal (both missing here on the private printing) and with the judges’ names removed. Who the poetry group was is not known, but they must have been affluent and influential. Of the sixteen poets on the prints, four were certainly members of the Shingyoku Circle, which was affiliated to the Yomogawa. This was the group that commissioned, amongst others, Hokusai’s Horse and Shell series of surimono. There appear to be three other impressions known from the private edition: Sebastian Izzard, Hiroshige, The Ukiyo-e Society of America Inc., 1983, no. 5; Ukiyo-e art, no. 18, Memeorial exhibition of Hiroshige, The Japan Ukiyo-e Society, 1968 (C) no. 4; and Juzo Suzuki, Utagawa Hiroshige, Nihon Keizai Shinbun, 1970, no. 593. Provenance: Ex Stoclet collection.
Very fine impression. Fine colour. Centre fold (as usual as they were issued in folding album form), otherwise fine condition. Signed Ichiryusai Hiroshige ga.
Status: Sold
Utagawa KUNIYOSHI (1797-1861)
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An uncut fan print showing a beauty leaning on a fence and watching a dragonfly hovering above a flowering plant. Published by Maruya Jinpachi, c early 1840s. Rare and very attractive.
Very good impression, colour and condition. Signed Ichiyusai Kuniyoshi ga. ga.
Status: Sold
Ichiryusai HIROSHIGE (1797-1858)
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An extremely rare aiban print showing two kochi , bartail flatheads, (Platycephalus indicus) and an abalone, sea-ear, (Haliotus tuberculate). From a set of eight prints of various fish published c. late 1830s. Another impression is illustrated in Japanese Prints IV – Hiroshige and the Utagawa School, Rijksmuseum Amsterdam, 1984, no. 45, p. 35.
Fine impression and colour. Slight soil, otherwise very good condition. Signed Hiroshige
Status: Sold
Utagawa KUNISADA (1786-1864)
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Moon from a set Furyu settsugekka, “A Fashionable Snow, Moon, Flower.” An uncut fan print showing the actor Iwai Kumesaburo III as Shirai Gonpachi. Kumesaburo last played this role in the play Kakitsubata tamuke no harakawado performed at the Kawarasaki-za theatre in 3/1850. Published by Kojima Jubei (who specialised in fans) in 3/1853.
Very fine impression, colour and condition. Signed Toyokuni ga.
Status: Sold
Utagawa KUNISADA (1786-1864)
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An exceedingly rare fan print showing a bust portrait of Ichikawa Danjuro VII as Soga no Goro wearing the iconic kuruma bun wig. This famous story has many versions but basically it tells how Kawazu Sukeyasu was murdered by his cousin Kudo Suketsune. Sukeyasu left two sons and his widow remarried a man called Soga. He adopted the two children and they waited patiently for an opportunity to kill Suketsune which came when he was hunting near Mt. Fuji. They killed him but were themselves slain in the ensuing battle. Published c.1827 by Maru-Mata, a publisher who seems to have only produced fan prints for a few years. Possibly Kunisada’s finest actor design in this format. A design I have never seen and probably unique.
Very good impression. Good colour. Dismounted from a fan and sold “as is” with all imperfections. Signed Kunisada ga.
Status: Sold
Ichiryusai HIROSHIGE (1797-1858)
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An uncut fan print: Yoshiwara Naka-no-cho sakura doki, “Cherry Blossom at Naka-no-cho in the Yoshiwara.” Published 7/1852. Exceptionally rare: One other trimmed impression is illustrated in Hiroshige Fan Prints, Rupert Faulkner, Unsodo, 2010, no. 55, p. 45.
Fine impression and colour. Extremely good condition. Signed Hiroshige ga.
Status: Sold
Ichiryusai HIROSHIGE (1797-1858)
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An uncut fan print: Ochanomizu no seiran, “Fine Weather but Windy.” From a set Edo hakkei, “Eight Views of Edo.” Published 1847-8 by Ibaya Senzaburo (who specialised in fans). Shows two beauties caught on a blustery day to the north of the Kanda River, the aqueduct lower left and Mt. Fuji in the distance. Exceptionally rare: The V & A museum has a complete (trimmed) set, see Rupert Faulkner, Hiroshige Fan Prints, 2001, nos. 23-30 (this being no. 25). And another impression is illustrated in Ukiyo-e Art, number eighteen, Memorial Exhibition of Hiroshige, 1968, no. 3. These appear to be the only other impressions known.
Fine impression. Very good colour. Slight centre fold and soil, but generally very good condition. Signed Hiroshige ga.
Status: Sold
Utagawa SADAHIDE (1807-1873)
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An uncut fan print showing a bust portrait of a courtesan. Shin Yoshiwara from a set Toto meisho zue, “Famous Places in the Eastern Capital.” The original Yoshiwara district was burned down in the great fire of Meireki in 1657 and rebuilt in the new location north of Asakusa.
Fine impression, colour and condition. Signed Sadahide ga.
Status: Sold
Utagawa KUNIMARU (1794-1829)
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An uncut fan print showing a beauty looking into a lacquered hand mirror which she has withdrawn from a lacquered cabinet. Kunimaru produced some exceptional fans, of which this is one. However, his work in other fields is not noteworthy and it does pose the question if there were two artists with the same name ? Published 1827. Of particular interest is the design on the under-garment she is holding which has a Dutch motif of cherubs. Rare.
Very fine impression with strong burnishing on the mirror case, cabinet and her hair. Fine colour. Small repaired binding holes, otherwise very good condition. Signed Kunimaru hitsu.
Status: Sold
Utgawa HIROSHIGE (1797-1858)
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An uncut fan print from a set of views of Ise: Ise meisho, Asakumayama toge no chamise, “Teahouses on the Mount Asakuma Pass, Famous Places of Ise Province.” Hiroshige used this same view about a decade later for no.7 from the set The Sixty-odd Provinces. He cleverly uses the cliff sides to wrap around the uchiwa-e shape. Published c.1840. Extremely rare: This actual impression illustrated in Hiroshige no uchiwa-e, Unsodo, 2010, p.78, pl.108. Ex collection Maroni with seal at bottom. (His collection was sold at public auction at Kende Galleries, N.Y. 1947-9.)
Fine impression and colour. Centre fold (as often), otherwise very good condition. Signed Hiroshige ga.
Status: Sold
Utagawa HIROSHIGE (1797-1858)
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Kami, crab (Charybois) and saba, mackerel (Scomber Japonicus) together with two flowers of morning glory. Poem by Shichichintei. This is the first edition (Kruml 19a). From the second series of fish published by Yamasho c. 1840-42. Unidentified collector’s seal bottom right corner.
Fine impression, colour and condition. Signed Hiroshige ga.
Status: Sold
Utagawa SADAHIDE (1807-1873)
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An aizuri fan print. Shows two travellers admiring the view of the Tama River and Mt. Koya in Kii Province. Published c 1849. Sadahide produced a considerable number of fan prints and it seems to have been a speciality of his. Rare.
Very good impression and colour. Minor edge soil, otherwise very good condition. Uncut. Signed Gountei Sadahide ga.
Status: Sold
Utagawa SADAHIDE (1807-1873)
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An aizuri fan print. Shows travellers arriving at Inba Marsh in Shimosa Province. This is now an important wetland habitat for wild birds. Published c 1849. Sadahide produced a considerable number of fan prints and it seems to have been a speciality of his. Rare.
Very good impression and colour. Minor edge soil, otherwise very good condition. Uncut. Signed Gountei Sadahide ga.
Status: Sold
Utagawa SADAHIDE (1807-1873)
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An uncut fan print showing Otsu-e pictures. (These were cheaply and quickly produced folk images, beginning in the 17th century, sold at an important road junction at Otsu, a port on Lake Biwa. Hence the nomenclature.) Published by Ibaya Senzaburo, c 1849. . Sadahide produced a considerable number of fan prints and it seems to have been a speciality of his. Rare.
Very good impression and colour. Slight edge soil, otherwise very good condition. Uncut. Signed Sadahide ga (on three of the Otsu-e).
Status: Sold
Utagawa KUNIMARU (1794-1829)
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An uchiwa-e (fan print) showing summer flowers: hydrangea, peony, iris, chrysanthemum, morning glory, etc against a yellow ground. Of the utmost rarity: possibly the only recorded example. Published by Ibaya Senzaburo with date seal Bunsei 10 (1827). Ex Werner Schindler collection and illustrated in Masterpieces of ukiyo-e prints from the Schindler collection, Kondo/Suzuki, Tokyo 1985, pl. 165, p. 140.
Fine impression; very good colour and condition. Signed Kunimaru hitsu.
Status: Sold