Dealing in fine Japanese prints, paintings and books since 1968
Dealing in fine Japanese prints, paintings and books since 1968
Click here to view image full size. Two large volumes complete: Soga kokufu, “Sketches of National Customs.” A rare work with wonderful images which Vignier, in Odin, described as “Tirage d’une delicatessen remarquable.” Published by Yoshinoye Nimbei, Kyoto; Tsuruya Kiemon,…
Click here to view image full size. Three volumes complete: Kyoka yama-mata-yama, “Kyoka: Range Upon Range of Mountains.” The fanciful title is based on the fact that the views illustrated are located around Yama-no-te, the higher ground situated in the…
Click here to view image full size. A fine example of the first edition, the “Falcon’s Feather”, of volume one of the Fugaku hyakkei, the “Hundred Views of Mount Fuji.” ( So-called because the title slip is printed in blue…
Click here to view image full size. An original wood block for printing four pages for one of his books of famous places published in the 1780s and 1790s. Shows Yamashira Village. Shunchosai, of Osaka, was one of the leading…
Click here to view image full size. One volume complete: Shinkoku hyakushoden, “New Edition of the Lives of a Hundred Generals.” N.d. ( but 1848 ). Five double pages of colour illustrations and one hundred b.&w. illustrations of generals. Three…
Click here to view image full size. One volume, black & white, Kyoka suikoden shu, “Picture Book of the Water Margins with Kyoka Poems”. Presumably this is based on the 1829 Kyoka suikoden gazo shu . There were a number…
Click here to view image full size. 3 volume complete : Ehon yachiyogusa, “The Plant of Eight Thousand Ages”. Sumi images illustrating old poems with the Sumida River as a central theme. Published Meiwa 5, 1768 by Yamazaki Kinbei. Original…
Click here to view image full size. Volume 1 only of Ehon Sumidagawa ryogan ichiran, “Panoramic Views Along the Bank of the Sumida River”. Published by Senkakudo c1805 Minor marks and wormage, otherwise a fine copy, with perfect colour, of…
Click here to view image full size. Ehon kukuri-zome, “Tie-Dyed Work”. Two volumes complete. Original covers and one title slip. Published by Izumiya Ichibei, 1794. Shows bijin at famous spots around Edo. Some backed wormage on vol. 2 and some…
Click here to view image full size. Choju Ryakugashiki, “Simplified Forms of Drawing Birds and Animals”. Published by Suharaya Ichibei, Kwansei 9 ( 1797 ). One volume complete. First edition. Original covers and title slip. Beautiful condition with perfect colour:…
Click here to view image full size. Seiro bijin awase sugata kagami, Mirror of Beautiful Women of the Green Houses, published by Tsutaya Juzaburo, Anei 5, 1776. Complete in three volumes divided into Spring and Summer in volume 1 and…
Click here to view image full size. Other examples are known with alternative titles which appear to be slightly later. The sequence of the illustrations varies from copy to copy. Of the utmost rarity there appearing to be around thirteen…
Click here to view image full size. Two volumes complete of the excessively rare book: Ehon Azuma Warawa, “Picture Book: Children of the East”. Shows popular life in Edo during the 12 months and every image is a success. Published…
Click here to view image full size. A beauty being aided by her assistant to dress her hair. Published by Wakasaya Yoichi, c 1803-4. Fine impression. Very well retained colour. Minor marks and soil, but otherwise very good condition.…
Click here to view image full size. Oishi from a set Kenyu fujo kagami, “A Mirror of Wise and Courageous Women.” She evidently was famous for having used her strength to deliver irrigation water into her own fields. Published c…
Click here to view image full size. An aizuri-e print showing the courtesan Nanahito of the Sugata-ebi house, 1 chome, Kyomachi, parading in front of rooftops. Published by Yamaguchiya Tobei, c. 1835-40. In fact, the left sheet of a triptych.…
Click here to view image full size. Mariko, Station 21, from the Bijin Tokaido which compares beauties to the Fifty-three Stations of the Tokaido. This Station was famous for tororojiru, a dish of yams and white bean paste. An inn…
Click here to view image full size. A beauty in sumptuous clothing from a fine set of seventy numbered prints with title: Sankai medetai zu, “Excellences of Mountain and Sea.” The set compares busts of beautiful women with various products…
Click here to view image full size. A high-ranking courtesan ( oiran ) looking over her shoulder. From a set of six prints: Bijin kaichu kagami – Jisei rokkassen: Ariwara no Narihira, “ A Pocket Mirror of Beauties – Six…
Click here to view image full size. A fine kakemono of a standing beauty reading. The perfectly preserved colours on this print allow us to fully appreciate her elaborate garments. Fine impression. Very fine colour. Fine condition. Full size.…
Click here to view image full size. The courtesan Bando Oume of the Hasegawa-cho with the boy No Shiomatsu and O-tsui of Fujiya from a set Furyu juni-gatsu geisha meimyo awase, “Elegant Twelve Months Showing Various Famous Geisha.” Possibly New…
Click here to view image full size. A beauty in sumptuous clothing from a fine set of seventy numbered prints with title: Sankai medetai zu, “Excellences of Mountain and Sea.” The set compares busts of beautiful women with various products…
Click here to view image full size. A fine set of diptychs showing beauties compared to scenic places in Japan. Meisho bijin awase, “Comparison of Famous Places and True Beauties.” In this instance Sozumegaura in Musashi Province. The unusual backgrounds…
Click here to view image full size. Shows Tamagiku of the House of Tama from the extremely rare set of seven prints Bijin nanakomachi, “Beauties of the Seven Komachi” from Toyokuni’s best period ( c.1793-7 ). A parody of the…
Click here to view image full size. A chuban print showing the high-ranking courtesan Nanakoshi sitting beside a brazier reading a book. Her loose kimono has a design of fans (ogi – referring to her house, Ogi-ya). Koryusai was born…
Click here to view image full size. Six beauties representing the Six Tama Rivers: Kimuta, Noji, Ide, Chofu, Koya and Noda. They are shown fulling, washing and drying cloth. The streams were noted for their purity – an attribute being…
Click here to view image full size. A pupil of Utamaro who produced some fine work at the turn of the century. An aiban design showing a portrait of the courtesan Sodenoura of the Tamaya House and her kamuro. Published…
Click here to view image full size. Tsuki, “Moon” from a set of three prints, San bijin, “Three Beauties.” Based on the Snow, Moon, Flower theme. Shows a koto player adjusting the finger picks in order to start playing. Published…
Click here to view image full size. A tripyych showing a party of women and a child running in the rain towards the entrance of the Mimeguri Shrine. Mimeguri no yudachi, “An Evening Shower at Mimeguri.” This famous shrine was…
Click here to view image full size. The elongated figure of the famous oiran Marino Yoyoharu parading with her kamuro Ikeno Yoyoume. Above, on a banner hanging from a tree, is the name and address of the courtesan’s location in…