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A group of three women picking mushrooms. Published c 1800. Another impression, from the Musee Guimet, is illustrated in Muneshige Narazaki, Ukiyo-e Masterpieces in European Collections, 6, Musee Guimet, Paris, 1, p. 176, no. 90.

Fine impression. Very good colour and condition. Unsigned.

Status: Sold

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A design interpreting a poem by the Lady of Ise (c. 875-c. 938) from an unfinished set Hyakunin isshu uba ga etoki, “The Hundred Poems [By the Hundred Poets] as Told by the Nurse.” Published 1835-36 by Eijudo with 27 prints known and 67 outstanding drawings for the set. Shows a mother and daughter or lady and servant at a window overlooking Naniwa Inlet with rice fields in the distance and men working on the roof of the building they are in.

Fine early impression with woodgrain showing on the roof. Fine colour. Small nick out of right edge, otherwise fine condition. Signed Zen Hokusai manji.

Status: Sold

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Hokusai’s interpretation of a poem by Ono no Takamura (802-852). From an unfinished set: Hyakunin isshu uba ga etoki, “Pictures of One Hundred Poems by One Hundred Poets Explained by the Nurse.” The poems are from an anthology Hyakunin isshu, “One Hundred People, One Poem Each” compiled by the poet Fujiwara no Teika (1162-1241). The poem was composed on the eve of Takamura’s banishment to an isolated island, later to be pardoned by the Emperor. (His boat can be seen in the distance.) One of Hokusai’s most beautiful prints showing women divers (ama) fishing for abalone (awabi). The divers are seen between waves reminiscent of a Victorian theatre stage set. Published by Eijudo, 1835-1836. A considerable number of original drawings exist for the set that were not turned into prints and are in various museums and private collections.

Fine impression and colour. Very slight edge soil, otherwise very good condition. Signed Saki no Hokusai.

Status: Sold

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A street scene with travellers, an ox cart and a teahouse at the Okido gate, Takanawa, in Edo bay to the south-east of Edo. This stretch of coast leading to Shinagawa was lined with stalls and restaurants and very popular. The gate – the stone remains of which can be seen on the left and right – was the last travellers passed through on the Tokaido road to Edo. Another impression is in MFA Boston (21.10262, ex Spaulding via Frank Lloyd Wright) and a third in the BM (1937-0710-0-209).

Fine impression, colour and condition.

Status: Sold

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New Year’s Day with a view of Mount Fuji seen down Suruga Street with the Echigoya Mitsui store on the left and right. Edo Surugacho Mitsui mise ryakuzu, “The Mitsui Shop at Surugacho, Edo.” From Hokusai’s most famous set: Fugaku sanjurokkei, “Thirty-six Views of Fuji.” Surugacho district was located just north of Nihonbash Bridge. One of the largest stores was the Echigoya Mitsui Clothing Store, now known as Mitsukoshi. On the left a sign states that the store sells braided cords and threads, and on the right that it sells clothing. It also announces that it takes cash payment: The store was the first to adopt cash payment at the point of sale, rather than billing clients once or twice a year, hence they could cut their prices. The set published 1830-34 by Nishimuraya Yohachi. There are variant states of this design with the blue wiped across the top of the design only, wiped top and at horizon and wiped at top with the entire sky printed blue (as here). This is the earliest version.

Very fine early impression. Fine colour. Slight centre fold, otherwise fine condition. Full, untrimmed size. Signed Zen Saki no Hokusa aratame hitsu.

Status: Sold

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A poem by Fujiwara no Yoshitaka (954-974) from Hyakunin isshu uba ga etoki, the “Hundred Poems Explained by the Wet Nurse.” Published by Eijudo and Iseri, c 1835-6. Although obviously intended to be a set of 100 prints, only 27 are known plus drawings for others. The poet speaks of a trivial life prior to meeting his lover. Two women and their companions relax after a bath admiring the view across water. Steam rises from the bath and two cormorants are seen on the left. A languid scene and one of Hokusai’s most beautiful designs.

Fine impression. Very good colour. Two states are known: the printers quickly discovered that the red seal at left was not easily discernible and cut the block to correct this. This is the first state but the seal can hardly be seen except on the reverse. Signed Zen Hokusai.

Status: Sold

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Yoshiwara Station from a chuban Fifty-three Stations of the Tokaido. The set of 55 prints published by Iseya Rihei, c 1806. Unsigned but the original wrapper evidently had Hokusai’s signature. Two women, a man and boy press grapes.

Fine impression. Extremely fine colour. One small repaired wormhole near edge, otherwise fine condition.

Status: Sold

Koishikawa yuki no ashita, “Snowy Morning at Koishikawa” from Hokusai’s most celebrated set: Fugaku sanjurokkei, the “Thirty-six Views of Mount Fuji.” The set of 46 prints published by Eijudo, c. 1830-32. Shows a party at a teahouse, at left, admiring the view of Fuji. The only snow scene from the set. Provenance: Ex Le Veel collection, sold by Ader Picard Tajan, Paris, 2nd sale, 24/10/1980, lot 76, p. 36.

Exceptionally early impression (blue outline). Fine colour and, apart from slight vertical crease, fine condition. Very full size with extra paper top and right. This design usually has a clear sky with blue gradation at top and horizon. This state with a subtly graded blue sky appears to be the earliest version (with other similar impressions in the BM [1927.0613.0.13] and MET [JP1330]). Not only does it better convey the wintry conditions but Eijudo was probably also conscious of saving money on this expensive pigment on later editions. The finest example to come onto the market for many years. Signed Zen Hokusai Iitsu hitsu.

Status: Sold

A summer night on the Sumida river, Edo, illustrating a poem by the 9th – 10th century poet Kiyowara no Fukayabu. From the set: Hyakunin isshu uba ga etoki. “The Hundred Poems by a Hundred Poets Explained by a Nurse. Twenty seven published designs are known for this set with another sixty two preparatory drawings extant. The set was curtailed probably due to the adverse economic climate at the time. It was started by the publisher Nishimuraya Yohachi (Eijudo) who published five, c 1835-6, and then taken over by Iseya Sanjiro (another Eijudo) who published the other twenty two. This design might be the first of the Iseya Sanjiro prints as it has the word shimpan on the lanterns meaning “new.” Shows a large boat, left. Probably a floating restaurant with another smaller vessel in the centre purveying food.

Fine impression. Slight fading of the red block. Fine condition. Signed Zen Hokusai manji.

Status: Sold

Onden no suisha, “Waterwheel at Onden” from the set Fugaku sanju-rokkei, the “Thirty-Six Views of Fuji.” The series published by Eijudo between 1829-33 and extended to forty six prints. These extra designs have a black outline, whereas the first thirty six have blue outlines in the early editions and then black. Shows the mill with men carrying bags of rice to be milled. A woman washes vegetables, another carries a tub and a small child drags a terrapin. Onden was on the Shibuya river, between Harajuko and Aoyama. (The river now hidden from view under the concrete sprawl of Tokyo.) Evidently waterwheels dotted the area powered by the Shibuya river.

Fine impression and colour. (Collectors are often unaware that designs from this set are faded: The yellow part of the green fades, leaving blue. And because there are designs that are only printed in blue or are blue in the early states, they accept them as unfaded.) Trimmed left and top and slight centre fold, otherwise very good condition. Signed Zen Hokusai I-itsu hitsu.

Status: Sold

Kozuke Sano funabashi no kozu, “Old View of the Pontoon Bridge at Sano, Kozuke Province.” From a set of eleven prints, Shokoku meikyo kiran, “Wondrous Views of Famous Bridges in All the Provinces.” A snow scene showing travellers, one on horseback, traversing the pontoon bridge built of boats. Published by Nishimuraya Yohachi, 1831-2.

Very good impression. Some slight fading. Very good condition. Full size. Signed Zen Hokusai Iitsu hitsu.

Status: Sold

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A surimono, Hara, from an untitled Tokaido set, generally called the Surimono Tokaido. Published in 1804 for a kyoka club. There are 59 prints in the set; 8 being in this horizontal tanzaku format, the rest being koban size. This is the very rare first edition with the kyoka poems. In the second edition, also in 1804, the poems are left out. There is also a third edition in 1805 and a fourth in the 1840s where these tanzaku designs were replaced by koban prints designed by Hokusai’s pupil Yanagawa Shigenobu. Shows travellers admiring Fuji.

Very fine impression. Fine colour and condition. Signed Gakyojin Hokusai ga.

Status: Sold

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Totomi sanchu, “In the Totomi Mountains” from Hokusai’s most famous set Fugaku sanju-rokkei, “Thirty-six Views of Fuji.” The set published by Nishimuraya Yohachi c. 1830-33. Originally planned as a set of 36 prints, ten more designs were added. These are called the Ura-Fuji, “Fuji from the Other Side.” These designs have a black outline, while early impressions of the first 36 are printed with a blue outline changing to black on later editions. Shows lumbermen cutting a huge log while another, lower left, sharpens a saw watched by a woman with a child strapped to her back. This set was a considerable undertaking for the publisher, especially as the relatively new pigment berurin burau, “Berlin blue” was being used which was expensive.

Very good impression, colour and condition. Very full size. Signed Saki no Hokusai Iitsu hitsu.

Status: Sold

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A poem by Abe no Nakamaro from the unfinished set Hyakunin isshu uba ga etoki, “Hundred Poems Explained by the Wet Nurse.” Twenty seven prints known with extant drawings for another sixty two. Published in 1835 by Nishimuraya Yohachi (who issued five) who then sold the blocks to Iseya Sanjiro. Shows the poet on a mount with Chinese soldiers waiting to take him away and imprison him. An unconventional interpretation of the poem which has Nakamaro left in a high pagoda to starve to death for attempting to steal the secrets of the Chinese calendar. He gazes at the moon (seen here reflected in the sea) and asks if it’s the same moon as that rising over his homeland – Japan.

Fine impression, colour and condition. Signed Zen Hokusai with Manji seal. As with others in this set, the signature is near the extreme edge and is often trimmed off.

Status: Sold