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Warabi, one of the Stations from Kisokaido rokujukyutsugi no uchi, “Sixty-Nine Stations of the Kisokaido.” The set of seventy prints was started by Eisen and published by Hoeido in 1835, but in 1837 Hiroshige took over and completed the set with the publisher Iseya Rihei ( Kinjudo ). Warabi no eki Todagawa watashi, “Warabi Station, Ferry on the Toda River.” Shows a ferry with a group of travellers: a pair of goze ( blind singers ); three males with hats; a horse and handler, and a porter smoking in the prow. The Station is seen on the far shore.

Very fine impression of the first edition with signature. Fine colour and condition. Signed Eisen ga.

Status: Sold

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Shiojiri Pass, View of Lake Suwa, from the Sixty-Nine Stations of the Kisokaido. The set was started by Eisen and published by Hoeido in 1835, but in 1837 Hiroshige took over and completed the series with the publisher Iseiri ( Kinjudo ). A view from the pass over the frozen lake towards Takashima Castle, with Mount Fuji in the distance. A short cut over the ice was available in the winter mornings after the ice had frozen during the night. This is the earliest state. Extremely rare.

Very fine early impression. The first state of a number of variants with Take [ nouchi Magohachi ] on the girth of the horse; signature and seals, and gradation on the banks on the right of the print. Combined Take and kiwame seal in left margin. Signed Eisen ga.

Status: Sold

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Kutsukake no eki Hiratsukahara uchu no kei, ” Kutsukake Station, Rain on the Nearby Plain of Hiratsuka” from the Sixty-nine Stations of the Kisokaido. The set was started by Eisen and published by Hoeido in 1835, but in 1837 Hiroshige took over and completed the series with the publisher Iseiri ( Kinjudo ). A windy autumnal squall over the Hiratsuka flood plain. One of the best Eisen designs from the set. Known in various states and colour variations. The very rare first edition has the signature lower right corner.

Very good impression. Fine colour. Very good condition. Unsigned.

Status: Sold

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Kuragano Station, Karasu River, Kuragano shuku Karasugawa no zu from the Sixty-nine Stations of the Kisokaido. The set was started by Eisen and published by Hoeido in 1835, but in 1837 Hiroshige took over and completed the series with the publisher Iseiri ( Kinjudo ). Situated at the confluence of three rivers, the Tone, Karasu and Kabura. In spring a ferry service was available down to Edo. The station can be seen on the far shore. Small children play in the foreground watched by a lady taking tea at a rest-stop. This appears to be the earliest state known of this design – earlier than the first edition example illustrated in the NHK exhibition catalogue, Hiroshige: Tokaido and Kisokaido, 2006, pl. 14, p. 43, with greater subtlety in the printing and gradation on the river.

Very fine impression of the first edition. Fine colour. Slight centre fold, otherwise very good condition. Signed Eisen ga.

Status: Sold

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Konosu from the Sixty-nine Stations of the Kisokaido. The set was started by Eisen and published by Hoeido in 1835, but in 1837 Hiroshige took over and completed the series with the publisher Iseiri ( Kinjudo ). Shows travellers on a zig-zag path that disappears into a range of mountains on the right. To the left, a large Fuji towers over the landscape. The very rare first edition with signature – which is lacking on later states – and differences in colour and gradation. The removal of the signature was presumably because the publishers wanted the public to think the designs were by Hiroshige , the better known landscape artist of the two.

Very fine impression and colour. Extremely large margins. Fine condition. Signed Eisen ga.

Status: Sold

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Itahana from the Sixty-nine Stations of the Kisikaido. The set was started by Eisen and published by Hoeido in 1835, but in 1837 Hiroshige took over and completed the series with the publisher Iseiri ( Kinjudo ). Shows the entrance to the village with well-wrapped travelers trudging through the snow along a road edged with pines. The sun has set on the horizon. The rare first edition: Other designs from the set are signed on the first edition, but this is the exception. In later editions the red seal, top left, changes; the water in the stream, left, is graded above, not below; the hand-stamped kiwame/Take seal in left margin is left off, and the blue printed on the first figure’s legs and the legs of the two small figures on the bridge is lacking. ( See Ukiyoe Taikei, vol.15, no.15 for an example of the later edition. )

Very fine impression and colour. Two small thin areas right margin and several backed pin holes near border, otherwise fine condition. Unsigned.

Status: Sold

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Magome from the Sixty-nine Stations of the Kisokaido. The set was started by Eisen and published by Hoeido in 1835, but in 1837 Hiroshige took over and completed the series with the publisher Iseiri ( Kinjudo ).

Fine impression. A rare variant first edition with signature but without the large central mountain. Not listed by Strange. There are later editions without signature and with and without central mountain. Fine colour and condition. Signed Keisai ga.

Status: Sold

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Oiwake from the Sixty-nine Stations of the Kisokaido. The set was started by Eisen and published by Hoeido in 1835, but in 1837 Hiroshige took over and completed the series with the publisher Iseiri ( Kinjudo ). In the distance is Asama-yama, Mount Asama, a volcano which erupted in 1783. It also emitted debris in 1894 and 1900. This is the extremely rare first edition with signature Keisai and seal bottom left. ( Not in Ukiyo-e Taikei .) Unidentified collector’s seal au verso.

Fine impression and colour. Minor edge soil, otherwise very good condition. Signed Keisai ga.

Status: Sold