Ichiyusai KUNIYOSHI (1797-1861)
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An uncut double chuban sheet with a title which appears to read: Yatsuatari doke komori, “Bats Blaming Each Other” but given the title “Bats Comic” by Japanese sources. A set of eight chuban prints published by Joshuya Kinzo, c. 1846. Excessively rare. The bottom design shows the stone steps at Toba. An impression illustrated in Utagawa Kuniyoshi, Exhibition to Commemorate the 200th Anniversary of Utagawa Kuniyoshi’s Birth, Japan 1996, no. 250. The top design appears to show a [ bat ] entertainer with a [ bat ] monkey. Unrecorded ?
Fine impressions and colour. Small backed binding holes and minor corner soil, otherwise very good condition. Signed Ichiyusai Kuniyoshi ga.
Status: Sold
Katsushika HOKUSAI (1760-1849)
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Three excessively rare prints ( from a set of four; missing third panel ) showing framed pictures of zodiacal animals; working straw models; and a seiryuto ( a sort of giant halberd ) which were on view in the garden of the Kinryuzan Temple, Asakusa, Edo. The models show a Chinese woman on a white elephant with the dimensions of the figures ( eg 5 shaku 5 su’n for figure and 1 take 2 shaku for the elephant ); Emperor Komei, with measurement; the seiryuto, with measurement; and Shuso, with measurement. Published by Tsuru Kin. Of the utmost rarity: The only other impressions appear to be the three sheets ( lacking left sheet ) in the Hokusai museum in Tsuwano, Japan, illustrated in the “Human Figure” volume of a 5 volume set by Dr. Nagata and an impression of the last sheet which was in the last Christies sale, London.
Very good impression and colour. Slight edge soil and minor marks, otherwise good condition. Unsigned, but, as stated, fully catalogued by the Hokusai museum.
Status: Sold
Ichiyusai KUNIYOSHI (1797-1861)
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Figures with bizarre heads from a rare set of prints Tsukumono ken, Rock, paper, scissors by things “tsuku” ( a form of game song ). Published by Iba-ya Sensaburo, 1847/8.
Fine impression and colour. Small binding holes down edge, otherwise good condition. Signed Ichiyusai Kuniyoshi ga.
Status: Sold
Ichiyusai KUNIYOSHI (1797-1861)
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Figures with bizarre heads from a rare set of prints Tsukumono ken, Rock, paper, scissors by things “tsuku” ( a form of game song ). Published by Yebi-ya Rinnosuke, 1847/8.
Fine impression and colour. Small binding holes down edge, otherwise good condition. Signed Ichiyusai Kuniyoshi giga.
Status: Sold
Attributed to Ichiyusai KUNIYOSHI (1797-1861)
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A giga print called Ue-shita-e. These designs can be viewed upside down. Depicts various faces including a frog; tengu; the great general Zhanghi in the Three Kingdoms, and the tyrant King Zhou of the Yin Dynasty. Published by Ezakiya Tatsuzo, c 1842. Another impression ( from the Museum of Paper, and attributed to Kuniyoshi ) is illustrated in Edo no Asobi-e, no.2 and back cover. Rare.
Very good impression and colour. Slight centre fold, otherwise good condition.
Status: Sold
Utagawa KUNISADA (1786-1865)
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A print with title: Kaso-zaiku, “Bamboo Basket Work”. Shows a peacock, an oni, cat, and shishi lions built of bamboo by the craftsman Naniwa ( Osaka ) Kazuda Shohichiro. An early and possibly unrecorded Kunisada print. Published by Kawaguchiya Heikichi c 1820’s.
Good impression. Slightly trimmed, backed and some fading. Signed Oju ( “ by special request” ) Kunisada ga.
Status: Sold
Ichiyusai KUNIYOSHI (1797-1861)
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Triptych showing the opening of the new Ryokoku Bridge which took place Hare year (1855), 11th month, 23rd day. An interesting print showing leading dignitaries of the day walking across the bridge. Print published by Iba-ya Sensaburo, 1855.
Very good impression. colour and condition. Signed Ichiyusai Kuniyoshi ga.
Status: Sold
Suiken CHIKUYOU (active late 19th century)
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Presumably a pupil of Chikanobu. An interesting triptych showing silkworm culture at the Imperial Court: Kyuchuu Yousan no zu. The women elegantly attired in European-style costumes. Published 1888.
Good impression, colour and condition. Signed Suiken Chikuyou.
Status: Sold
Okumura MASANOBU (c.1686-1764)
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A major artist attributed with the invention of the hashira-e and uki-e and who may have been the first to change from hand colouring to colour printing. Tera no kashi, “Sweets From a Temple” from Masanobu’s most highly regarded shunga set: Someiro no yama neya no hinagata, “Mountains of Dyed Colours, Examples of Bedrooms.” Published c. 1735. Sub-title: Sato Kosho sai, Kichisaburo. Shows a young monk copulating with a beauty in the vicinity of a temple. Hence the punning title. Four other illustrations from this set illustrated in Shunga, Tom and Mary Evans, 1975, 5.64 – 5.67. Extremely rare.
Very good impression. Careful contemporary hand colouring ( as all prints for this series ). The red pigment with gum added. Centre fold ( as per usual ) with repair at top edge. Slight soil, otherwise very good condition for this period. Unsigned.
Status: Sold
OSAKA SCHOOL (c.1830)
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A complete set of twelve oban shunga prints. Printed with sumi outline blocks only, omitting the colour blocks and coloured by hand instead. Extensive details hand applied and with grey mica grounds and other areas with mica. This set was either a special one-off commission for a valued client or one set of a deluxe edition for clients who were willing to pay considerably more than for the printed version: It obviously took much longer to colour by hand. There are other examples of this in ukiyoe with prints and books. For an illustration of one design from the printed commercial edition see: Shunga, Marco Fagioli, Musee d’Ixelles – Museum van Elsene, 1989, cat. 84, p. 128. Probably unrecorded. Six prints ( of twelve ) illustrated.
Centre folds ( as per usual ). Some soil and edge damage on one or two designs. Unsigned.
Status: Sold
Okumura MASANOBU (1686-1764)
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A pair of lovers. Obviously one sheet from a shunga album. A sumizuri-e print with careful hand-colouring. Although possibly not contemporary the colouring certainly has considerable age. Published c 1710s.
Very good impression. Slight offsetting of sumi and other minor soil and backed wormholes. Centre fold.
Status: Sold
Unsigned Shunga (Attributed to Utagawa KUMINAO)
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Three volumes complete. Shunkei otogi bunko, “Erotic Bedrooms, A Collection of Fairy Tales”. Original covers and title slips. Published circa early 1850s.
Very fine impressions and colour, very good condition.
Status: Sold
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Unsigned Shunga (Attributed to Ichiyusai KUNIYOSHI)
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Three volumes complete. Shunshoku koi no kakehashi, “A Bridge of Love”. Original covers and title slips. Published circa late 1840s.
Very fine impressions and colour, very good condition.
Status: Sold
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Unsigned Shunga (Attributed to Keisai EISEN)
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Three volumes complete. Koi murasaki, “Purple Love”. Original covers and title slips. Published circa early 1840s.
Very fine impressions and colour, one wormhole on one volume, otherwise very good condition throughout.
Status: Sold
Isoda KORYUSAI (fl.c.1764-1788)
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Two complete koban sets of twelve prints each showing loving couples. Two double pages shown from each album.
Minor soil and one stain, but otherwise very good impression, colour and condition.
Status: Sold
Torii KOTONDO (1900-1976)
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Utatane, “A nap”. See The female image nos.177-1 and 177-2, p.132. This impression has a silver mica ground. Published by Ikeda Showa 5 (1930). Limited edition seal au verso, no.53 from 100.
Perfect impression and colour. Minor toning in margin, otherwise perfect condition. Signed Kotondo ga with seal.
Status: Sold
Yamakawa SHUHO (1898-1944)
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A girl performing the nunozarashi. See The female image, no.156, p.118. There are later printings of Shuho prints but this is from the original edition. Published 1936.
Perfect impression, colour and condition. Signed Shuho.
Status: Sold
Kawase HASUI (1883-1957)
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Mount Fuji viewed from Satta mountain pass., Satta toge no Fuji. Published by Watanabe (seal lower right margin) Showa 10 (1935). Hasui produced a number of variant (colour) impressions of this design.
Perfect impression, colour and condition. Signed Hasui with Kawase seal.
Status: Sold
Takahashi SHOTEI (1871-1945)
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A large print (13.75 x 20.5 inches; 35 x 52 cms) of a cat prowling around a staked tomato plant. A rare print by an artist who obviously had a penchant for cats as there are several other designs of them by him. Published by Fusui Gabo, Showa 6, 8th month.
Very good impression with the baren marks intentionally forming a background pattern. Very good colour and condition. Signed Hiroaki Saku with seal Hiroaki.
Status: Sold
Tobari KOGAN (1882-1927)
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Miyashita, Fifth Stage from Famous Views of Hakone, a Mountain Waterwheel. Kogan only produced around a dozen and a half prints and they are all rare. This design is no exception: I have noted no other impression for sale. Published c.1813.
Slight damage top right corner and small crack in right margin otherwise fine impression, colour and condition. Signed Kogan bottom right.
Status: Sold
School of Mori SOSEN (c. early 19th century)
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A group of seven small monkey paintings on silk, 11.75 x 11 cms. Of fine quality. Probably by a leading Sosen pupil. Mounted in a concertina album. Unsigned.
Status: Sold
Ryusai SHIGEHARU (1803-1853)
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A bust portrait of the actor Arashi Rikan in an onnagata role as Osome. Published by Honsei c1830-32. A border of game cards, balls and battledore and shuttlecock. Forms a complete diptych design with print below.
Very good impression, colour and condition. Full size. Signed Gyokuryutei Shigeharu ga.
Status: Sold
Ryusai SHIGEHARU (1803-1853)
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A bust portrait of the actor Ichikawa Danzo in the role of Hisamatsu. Published by Honsei c1830-32. A border of game cards, balls and battledore and shuttlecock.
Very good impression and colour. One very small wormhole and minor marks, otherwise very good condition. Full size. Signed Gyokuryutei Shigeharu ga.
Status: Sold
Gigado ASHIYUKI (FI. 1814-1833)
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The actor Arashi Kitsusaburo II as Minamoto Sanmi Yorimasa about to kill the composite beast, the Nue, with an arrow. Dated Bunsei 5, 9th month (1817).
Very good impression and colour. Deluxe printing on heavy hosho. Very good condition. Signed Ashiyuki.
Status: Sold
Ichiryusai HIROSHIGE (1797-1858)
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The beach of the Dancing Girl in Harima Province from Rokuju-yo shu meisho zue, “Famous Places in the Sixty-Odd Provinces”. The set published by Koshihei between 1853-1856.
Very good early impression showing strong woodgrain. Fine colour and condition. Signed Hiroshige ga.
Status: Sold
Ichiryusai HIROSHIGE (1797-1858)
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A chuban triptych showing three beauties relaxing at Takanawa from a set of Eight Views of Edo. Published by Joshuya Kinzo c.1849-50. (Tamba no.146.)
Very good impression, colour and condition. Signed Hiroshige ga.
Status: Sold
Katsushika HOKUSAI (1760-1849)
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Kanagawa Oki Nami-ura from the “Thirty-six Views of Fuji”. The set of forty-six prints published between 1823 and 1829 by Eijudo. Probably the most eulogised Japanese print and the masterpiece from the set as well as being one of the world’s great graphic images.
Medium impression. Blue outline. Very full size. Signed Zen Hokusai I-itsu hitsu.
Status: Sold
Katsushika HOKUSAI (1760-1849)
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Two volumes complete Toto shokei ichiran “A View of the Famous Sights of the Eastern Capital”. Dated Kansei 12 (1800) and published by Tsutaya Jusaburo, Suwaraya Mohei and Suwaraya Ihachi, all of Edo. Original covers, hand-painted with Iris flowers, and title slips. The first edition (probably of 200 copies) was published solely by Tsutaya Jusaburo in 1800 with title Toto meisho ichiran. The example offered here was published shortly afterwards (probably also in 1800). There were also later reprints in 1815 and 1840. One of Hokusai’s best known books and featuring his best work of this period. Difficult to find in an early edition. Ex Kegan Paul Gallery.
Good condition: title slips damaged and some thumbing. A little movement of the blue pigment due to dampness, but overall a nice example of this important work. Signed on colophon Hokusai Tatsumasa.
Status: Sold
Kitagawa UTAMARO (1753-1806)
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(Seiro Ehon) Nenju Gyoji, Yoshiwara Events or “Annals of the Green Houses”. One of Utamaro’s major books showing the annual events in the only government licensed brothel district in the city of Edo (Tokyo). Two volumes complete published Spring 1804 by Kazusaya Chusuke juo. Text by Jippensha Ikku. Original covers and title slips. Very fine copy: Fine impressions with very fine, completely unfaded colours. Slight stain affecting first few pages of text and a small wormhole within binding affecting the first few illustrations.
Covers in very good condition, some rubbing of title slips. Ex collections Theodore Duret (seals on last page of each vol.) and Tadamasa Hayashi (large square seals on first page of each vol.). Catalogue entry (lot 35) pasted onto inside of front cover: “Tres bel exemmplaire en parfait etat”. Also labels identifying each scene in French lightly attached in margin of each design. Certainly one of the finest copies extant.
Status: Sold
Taiso YOSHITOSHI (1839-1892)
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An actor as a tattooed fireman from a set of seven prints Isami no Kotobuki. “A Celebration of Gallantry”. Firemen often had elaborate tattoos to show their indifference to pain. The set published by Daikin 8/1865. Rare.
Very fine impression and colour. On thick deluxe hosho. Gofun oxidised (as usual). otherwise fine condtion. Signed Gyokuo Yoshitoshi hitsu.
Status: Sold
Tsukioka YOSHITOSHI (1839-1892)
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An uncut sheet of two chuban prints showing Kobayakaw Saemon Koretaka and Saito Musashibo Benkei from the set: Wakan kidan kagami, “A Comparison of Strange Stories from China and Japan.”” The set published 1880 by Kodama Mathichi.
Very good to fine impression, colour and condition. Variegated cartouche. Signed Yoshitoshi ga.
Status: Sold
Tsukioka YOSHITOSHI (1839-1892)
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An uncut sheet of two chuban prints showing Toki Daishoro and Chinsei Hachiro Minamoto Tameasa from the set: Wakan kidan kagami, “A Comparison of Strange Stories from China and Japan.” The set published 1880 by Kodama Mathichi.
Very good to fine impression, colour and condition. Variegated cartouche. Signed Yoshitoshi ga.
Status: Sold
Tsukioka YOSHITOSHI (1839-1892)
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An uncut sheet of two chuban prints showing Tahara Fujita Hidesato and Kodan Uzaemon Naoyuki from the set: Wakan kidan kagami, “A Comparison of Strange Stories from China and Japan.” The set published 1880 by Kodama Mathichi.
Very good to fine impression, colour and condition. Variegated cartouche. Signed Yoshitoshi ga.
Status: Sold
Tsukioka YOSHITOSHI (1839-1892)
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An uncut sheet of two chuban prints showing Skura Sogo and Sakenomi Doji from the set: Wakan kidan kagami, “A Comparison of Strange Stories from China and Japan.” The set published 1880 by Kodama Mathichi.
Very good to fine impression, colour and condition. Variegated cartouche. Signed Yoshitoshi ga.
Status: Sold
Katsukawa SHUNSHO (1726-1792)
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The actors Ichimura Uzaemon IX and Bando Matatoro IV (hand-written in sumi) grappling together. Published c.1768. Not in Gookin.
Very good impression. Some fading. Wonderful blue ground. Very good condition. Signed Shunsho ga with Hayashi in jar-shaped outline seal.
Status: Sold
Tsukioka YOSHITOSHI (1839-1892)
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An uncut sheet of two chuban prints showing the Chinese generals Shin Shobu and Tobu Ribu from the set: Wakan kidan kagami, “A Comparison of Strange Stories from China and Japan.” The set published 1880 by Kodama Mathichi.
Very good to fine impression, colour and condition. Variegated cartouche. Signed Yoshitoshi ga.
Status: Sold
Tsukioka YOSHITOSHI (1839 – 1892)
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The demon Ibaraki of Rashomon ( a gate south of the Imperial Palace in Kyoto ) visits Watanabe no Tsuna disguised as an old woman to retrieve its severed arm. This famous story relates how Watanabe cut off the arm after camping out at the gate to rid the neighbourhood of the beast. ( See below on this website for Yoshitoshi’s vertical diptych of the same subject. ) From Yoshitoshi manga, “Sketches by Yoshitoshi” from a fine set of seven diptychs. Published by Kobayashi 1885-86 ( this being 1885 ).
Very fine impression of the first edition. Fine colour. Fine condition apart from one minor mark. As originally published with no backing paper, with the margins completely untrimmed ( often cut in this set ), and plenty of space for joining. Signed Yoshitoshi ga.
Status: Sold
Mori TETSUZAN (1775-1841)
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A makimono with six paintings of Japanese Akita pups, sumi and light colour on paper. Painted area measures 73 x 11.5 in; 185.4 x 29.4 cms. Testsuzan, a highly talented but quirky artist with a penchant for animals, was adopted by his uncle, the celebrated painter Mori Sosen. One of Okyo’s ten best pupils, he moved to Edo from Kyoto bringing the Maruyama style to the Kanto region. In very good condition, remounted in recent years with fine outer silk cover and gold-flecked paper fore and aft. Rosewood rollers. Signed Tetsuzan with his seal at the end.
Status: Sold
Hosoda EISHI (1756-1829)
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The courtesan Shizuka of the Shizutama-ya from the set of six prints: Seiro bijin rokkasen, “Six Poems on Yoshiwara Beauties as Flowers.” One of the most beautiful sets of this period published 1794 by Eijudo. The centre cartouche has a seasonal bloom, in this case the pink which was the emblem of Shizuka. See Klaus Brandt, Hosoda Eishi, 1977, 51, no 172. Another impression was in the Popper sale cat. no 138 and the impression from the Museum fur Ostasiatische Kunst, Berlin, is illustrated in the 1974 Tokyo Exhibition catalogue, no 146.
Fine impression. Very good colour and condition. Yellow ground and mica on collar. Signed Eishi zu.
Status: Sold
Ichiryusai HIROSHIGE (1797-1858)
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Hyuga Province, Yudzu-no Minato from Rokuju yoshu meisho zu, “Famous Places in the sixty-Odd Provinces.” The set published by Koshimuraya Heisuke between 7/1853 and 3/1856 (this being 1856). Shows tea houses looking out over the bay.This is the extremely rare first edition.
Superb impression of the earliest state with beautiful bokashi and woodgrain showing on all blocks. Fine colour and condition. Signed Hiroshige ga.
Status: Sold