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. Botaro’s nurse Otsuji praying beneath the waterfall for his release: She offers her life for his. The set of thirty-six prints with title: “New Forms of Thirty-six Ghosts” was published by Sasaki 1889-92 ( this design being 1892 ). Fine impression of the first edition. Fine colour. Slightly trimmed left margin and light album backing. Signed Yoshitoshi. Status: Sold
Click here to view image full size. The ghost of Okiku at Sarayashiki. Accused of stealing a dish, she was killed and thrown into a well by her master. The set of thirty-six prints with title: “New Forms of Thirty-six Ghosts” was published by Sasaki 1889-92 ( this design being 1890 ). Fine impression of the first edition. Fine colour. Slightly trimmed left margin and light album backing. Signed Yoshitoshi. Status: Sold
Click here to view image full size. Yugao, the mysterious girl who appears to Prince Genji as told by Murasaki Shikibu in Genji Monogatari ( written c 1000 A.D. ). The set entitled “One Hundred Aspects of the Moon” published by Akiyama Buemon between 1885-92 ( this design being 1886 ). Very good early impression. Very good colour. Slightly trimmed left margin and light album backing. Signed Yoshitoshi. Status: Sold
Click here to view image full size. Taira no Kiyomori haunted by visions: As he was dying Kiyomori believed he saw hundreds of skulls in his snow-covered garden and feared them to be the remains of his victims killed during his rise to power. Published by Ibaya Kyubei c 1845. The best musha-e by Hiroshige. Fine impression, colour and condirtion. Signed Hiroshige ga. Status: Sold
Click here to view image full size. Benkei and a leaping magic fox in the snow from a rare set; “Sixteen Stories of Musashi-bo Benkei”. Published by Joshu-ya Kinzo and Daikoku-ya Heikichi c 1848-50. Robinson S68.5 Fine impression and colour. Very good condition. Signed Ichiyusai Kuniyoshi ga. Status: Sold
Click here to view image full size. The fight on Gojo Bridge showing Yoshitsune with open fan and Benkei behind. From the set: “Biography of Yoshitsune” published by Iba-ya Kyubei c 1848-53. Robinson S65.10. Fine impression and colour. Very good condition. Signed Ichiyusai Kuniyoshi ga. Status: Sold
Click here to view image full size. The flight of Tokiwa-gozen through the snow with her three children, Imawaka, Otowaka, and Ushiwaka. From the set: “Biography of Yoshitsune” published by Iba-ya Kyubei c 1848-53. Robinson S65.1. Fine impression and colour. Very good condition. Signed Ichiyusai Kuniyoshi ga. Status: Sold
Click here to view image full size. The poet Dainagon Tsunenobu ( 1016-97 ) visited by a ghost reciting a Chinese poem by Hakuraten from the set “One Hundred Poems for One Hundred Poets”. The uncompleted set published by Ebine c 1840-42. Robinson S19.71 Very good impression and colour. Light album backing, otherwise very good condition. Signed Chooro Kuniyoshi ga. Status: Sold
Click here to view image full size. The highly skilled archer Yorimasa shooting the Nue. This event took place in 1153 when the young Emperor Konoe was suffering from sleep deprivation brought on by hideous shrieks emanating from the roof of the Shishinden Palace. Yorimasa successfully killed the beast ( a composite animal as big as a horse with monkey’s head, back of badger, claws of tiger, scales of dragon and tail of snake ). Published by Soshu-ya Yohei c 1842-3. One of Kuniyoshi’s great designs and rare. Robinson T112. Fine impression, colour and condition. Signed Ichiyusai Kuniyoshi ga. Status: Sold
Click here to view image full size. Tametomo sinking the foremost ship of Mochimitsu’s fleet with a single arrow. The islanders look on in amazement. Published 1844. Robinson T140. Fine impression and colour. Very good condition. Signed Ichiyusai Kuniyoshi ga. Status: Sold
Click here to view image full size. Vertical diptych showing Watanabe no Ttsuna cutting off the arm of the demon Ibaraki at the Rashomon Gate, Kyoto. Published by Matsui 1888 ( Meiji 21 ). Superb impression, colour and condition of the first edition. All the vertical designs were published by Matsui and many were republished by Hasegawa except Adachi Moor and Inaka Genji. The earliest Matsui impressions are beautifully printed and he insisted his printers use hosho paper ( as on surimono ) for these prints. The Hasegawa edition of this design has a seal “Reproduction not allowed” in upper left margin. It is incorrectly catalogued, no 64, p 87, Beauty and Violence, 1992, which shows a later edition. Signed Oju Yoshitoshi ga. Status: Sold
Click here to view image full size. Vertical diptych showing Taira no Atsumori and Kumagai Naozane at the Battle of Ichinotani ( 1184 ). Published by Matsui 1885 ( Meiji 18 ). Superb impression and colour and, apart from slight offsetting, fine condition. The first edition ( indeed this may be the earliest state of the first edition ). Signed Oju Yoshitoshi ga. Status: Sold
Click here to view image full size. Vertical diptych showing Taira no Koremochi about to kill the female demon on Mt. Togakushi in Shinano. The episode follows maple viewing when Koremochi fell asleep. The No play Momijigari “Maple Picnic” is based on this story. Published by Matsui Meiji 20 ( 1887 ). Superb impression and colour. Slight offsetting, otherwise fine condition. The first edition. Signed Oju Yoshitoshi. Status: Sold
Click here to view image full size. Vertical diptych showing Hakamadare Yasuke and Kidomaru fighting with magic. Kidomaru ( below, cross-legged ) holds two wrapped pine branches in his mouth as a spell. Yasuke and Kidomaru are generally considered to be the same person, so why they are depicted here as two individuals is not known. Published 1887 by Matsui. Very fine impression and colour. Left margin trimmed slightly, otherwise fine condition. The first edition. Signed Oju Yoshitoshi ga. Status: Sold
Click here to view image full size. Station 41, Kuwana, from the Tokaido gojusan tsui, Robinson 42. The apparition of the Sea-Monk looming above the sea-captain. The best design from the set. Illustrated in Robinson, pl 49. Published c1845 by Kojima. Fine, early impression with perfect bokashi on the ghost. Fine colour. Slight centre fold, otherwise fine condition. Signed Ichiyusai Kuniyoshi ga. Status: Sold
Click here to view image full size. The complete set ( two showing ) of 12 prints, tipped-in to a Japanese album, of the set “The Hundred and Eight Heroes of the Suikoden”. Second edition published by Ibaya Sensaburo c 1845. Very rare complete. Robinson, Kuniyoshi ( 1982 ) S3. Good to very good impressions. Very good colour. Some slight trimming, otherwise very good condition. Each sheet signed Ichiyusai Kuniyoshi ga. Status: Sold
Click here to view image full size. A triptych showing Tawara Toda Hidesato riding a giant turtle and escorted by a multitude of fish, crabs, lobsters and octopuses. He is being led away from the Palace of the Dragon King, who he has helped by killing, with an arrow, the terrible centipede, Mukade. The Dragon King ( Ryujin ) rewards him with a roll of silk which could not be shortened by cutting; a bag of rice which could not be exhausted; a cooking pot which would cook food without fire, and a great bronze bell. ( This is the bell that Hidesato presents to the monastery of Miidera from whence it was later stolen by Benkei. ) Published by Maruya Kyushiro, 1858. Extremely fine, early impression with fine colour. Very slight trimming to first sheet, otherwise fine condition. Signed Ichiyusai Kuniyoshi ga. Status: Sold
Click here to view image full size. Tokiwa Gozen taking flight from the village of Ryumon into the snowy Yoshino mountains. She flees with her three children. From the set: Kenjo reppuden, “Stories of Wise and Virtuous Women”. Published by Ibaya Sensaburo c1841-2. First state with bokashi above. The best design from the set and often reproduced. Very good impression and colour. Light album backing. Very good condition. Signed Ichiyusai Kuniyoshi ga. Status: Sold
Click here to view image full size. Shows Ono no Komachi ( one of the Six Poets ) praying for rain. Title label reads: Ama koi Komachi. This is one of various presentments of Komachi’s known as the Seven Komachi. Published by Kaga-ya Kichiyemon ( the same publisher as for the Suikoden ), c1837. A rare print not previously recorded by me. Very good impression and colour. Small backed wormhole top right, otherwise very good condition. Full size. Signed Cho-o-ro Kuniyoshi ga. Status: Sold
Click here to view image full size. Chusenko Teitokuson raises his sword with both hands in order to plunge it into the head of a giant snake. From Kuniyoshi’s finest warrior set: “The Hundred and Eight Heroes of the Popular Suikoden, One by One”. Published by Kaga-ya Kichiyemon c1827-1830. One of the finest designs from the series. Fine impression of first edition. Very good colour. Fine condition and completely untrimmed: Designs from this set are notoriously difficult to find untrimmed due to them being on slightly larger sheets of hosho than normal. Signed Ichiyusai Kuniyoshi ga. Status: Sold
Click here to view image full size. A heavily muscled and tattooed Roshi Ensei, one foot on the head of an adversary, lifts a huge beam. From Kuniyoshi’s finest warrior set: “The Hundred and Eight Heroes of the Popular Suikoden, One by One”. Published by Kaga-ya Kichiyemon c1827-1830. One of the finest designs from the series. Fine impression of first edition. Very good colour. Fine condition and completely untrimmed: Designs from this set are notoriously difficult to find untrimmed due to them being on slightly larger sheets of hosho than normal. Signed Ichiyusai Kuniyoshi ga. Status: Sold
Click here to view image full size. On a river bank a heavily tattooed Senkaji Choo is about to slay the enemy general Hotentei. Above him a supernatural flame plays over the rushing water. From Kuniyoshi’s finest warrior set: “The Hundred and Eight Heroes of the Popular Suikoden, One by One”. Published by Kaga-ya Kichiyemon c1827-1830. One of the finest designs from the series. Fine impression of first edition. Very good colour. Fine condition and completely untrimmed: Designs from this set are notoriously difficult to find untrimmed due to them being on slightly larger sheets of hosho than normal. Signed Ichiyusai Kuniyoshi ga. Status: Sold
Click here to view image full size. A night scene with Kojoso Jisen leaning down from a tree and shining a large lantern over a wall. From Kuniyoshi’s finest warrior set: “The Hundred and Eight Heroes of the Popular Suikoden, One by One”. Published by Kaga-ya Kichiyemon c1827-1830. One of the finest designs from the series. Fine impression of first edition. Very good colour. Fine condition and completely untrimmed: Designs from this set are notoriously difficult to find untrimmed due to them being on slightly larger sheets of hosho than normal. Signed Ichiyusai Kuniyoshi ga. Status: Sold
Click here to view image full size. A heavily tattooed Konkoryu Rishun heaves an adversary over his shoulders into a boat while floating in the sea. From Kuniyoshi’s finest warrior set: “The Hundred and Eight Heroes of the Popular Suikoden, One by One”. Published by Kaga-ya Kichiyemon c1827-1830. One of the finest designs from the series. Fine impression of first edition. Very good colour. Fine condition and completely untrimmed: Designs from this set are notoriously difficult to find untrimmed due to them being on slightly larger sheets of hosho than normal. Signed Ichiyusai Kuniyoshi ga. Status: Sold
Click here to view image full size. Rurihakucho Chojun, half-naked and tattooed with a sword between his teeth, forces apart the bars of a water-gate. From Kuniyoshi’s finest warrior set: “The Hundred and Eight Heroes of the Popular Suikoden, One by One”. Published by Kaga-ya Kichiyemon c1827-1830. One of the finest designs from the series. Fine impression of first edition. Very good colour. Fine condition and completely untrimmed: Designs from this set are notoriously difficult to find untrimmed due to them being on slightly larger sheets of hosho than normal. Signed Ichiyusai Kuniyoshi ga. Status: Sold
Click here to view image full size. Two foes grappling underwater – possibly Tammeijiro Genshogo and an armoured foeman. From a series ( ? ) enigmatically titled Tosei nama ningyo, “Living Dolls in Modern Days”. Perhaps these are quite literally dolls. Published by Hori Takichi, Dragon 2 ( 1856 ). Not recorded by Robinson. Fine impression and colour. Bottom right corner repaired, otherwise fine condition. Signed Ichiyusai Kuniyoshi ga. Status: Sold
Click here to view image full size. The Monkey battles Kinkaku Daio on a sea cliff from Tsuzoku saiyuki. Published by Fukura 2 A rare set. Very good impression and colour. Untrimmed with green border intact. Minor marks, otherwise very good condition. Signed Ikkaisai Yoshitoshi ga. Status: Sold
Click here to view image full size. The battle at Rokuhara in the Taihei war chronicles: Kasunoki Masashige and Ashikaga Takauji who wheeled his troops round on Rokuhara the Hojo headquarters defending Kyoto. Published 1859. Superb impression, colour and condition. Signed Sadahide ga and Gountei Sadahide ga. Status: Sold
Click here to view image full size. A triptych with title: Ryozoku shinzan yojutsu kurabe no zu, “A Picture of the Two Enemies in a Witchcraft Match in the Deep Mountain”. Shows Hakamadare Yasusuke and Kidomaru fighting with magic. Yoshitoshi designed a vertical diptych of the same subject in 1887. Published 1860 by Tsutaya Kichizo. A wonderful design. Very good impression and colour. Slight trimming and minor corner defects, otherwise very good condition. Signed Ichieisai Yoshitsuya. Status: Sold
Click here to view image full size. Makibashira. Sagi-no-ike Heikuro wrestling a giant python in the mountains from the set: Japanese and Chinese Comparisons for the Chapters of Genji. Robinson S88.31. Published by Ise-Yoshi, 1855-56. One of Kuniyoshi’s finest designs. Very fine impression of the first edition. Mica on the python. Perfect colour. Margins slightly trimmed but otherwise fine. Signed Ichiyusai Kuniyoshi ga. Status: Sold