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. A black cat with a bell round its neck. A striking design published by Fusui Gabo, Tokyo, c1935. Fine impression and colour. Fine condition. The cat’s body is heavily lacquered and the two-tone background deliberately shows the baren marks. Signed Hiroaki. Status: Sold
Click here to view image full size. Shimada, a grouper, and an ainame, greenling, together with red-berried nanten from the second series of fish prints published by Yamasho c1840-42. Numerous copies exist of the prints from these two series and one has to be particularly vigilant. Very good early impression before the Ichiryusai seal was replaced and moved to the side. Extensive use of mica on the fish. Very minimal marks and centre fold ( as usual ) but otherwise very good condition. Full size. ( Late editions have Marujin publisher’s seal. ) Signed Hiroshige ga. Status: Sold
Click here to view image full size. A chu-tanzaku showing two geese flying against a full moon. Excessively rare: apparently unrecorded. Not illustrated in any standard reference work. Fine impression, colour and condition. Signed Hiroshige ga. Status: Sold
Click here to view image full size. Three hoso-tansaku (13.75 x 3 in; 35 x 7.6cm)kacho prints. Published by Matsumura Yahei c1830s. Excessively rare. Fine impression and colour. Several small repaired wormholes otherwise very good condition. Signed Hiroshige ga. Status: Sold
Click here to view image full size. An exceptionally rare print with inscription which reads: Koneko yoriatsumatte oya ni naru, “The kittens gather together and become a mother cat”. The cat’s body is formed by the convoluted forms of nineteen kittens, it’s eye is a cat’s bell and the whiskers are the spines of a fan. Another ( faded ) impression is illustrated in Edo no Asobi-e, Shinichi Inagaki, 1988, no 24, p 29. I have never seen another impression since I started dealing. No publisher given, c 1847-52. Fine impression and colour. Very slight trimming at left, otherwise fine. Signed Ichihosai Yoshifuji ga. Status: Sold
Click here to view image full size. A humorous print showing a cat holding aloft a rat by it’s tail, a sliver of moon above. Printed only in sumi and light brown. Rare: Illustrated in Kawanabe Kyosai, Shigeru Oikawa, The Tokyo Shimbun 1996, no.43, p.128 which gives publication as 1870s/1880s by Sawamuraya Seikichi. Very good impression and colour. Slight soil, otherwise good condition. Signed Kyosai ga Status: Sold
Click here to view image full size. Ai or ayu, river trout, (Plecoglossus altivelis) swimming in a stream from the first fish series published by Eijudo c1832-4. Probably the best design from the two series. (See also Paintings on this website for an original Hiroshige painting of this subject,) Very good impression, colour and condition. Signed Hiroshige hitsu. Status: Sold
Click here to view image full size. An untrimmed fan print showing a parody of the Yoshiwara, the courtesans and customers depicted as grasshoppers. Published c.1880’s. Fine impression and colour. Slight centre-fold, otherwise fine condition. Signed Ayaoka. Status: Sold
Click here to view image full size. A vertical diptych showing a tiger. A striking design published by Yamamotoya Heikichi c1820s. Fine early impression with gauffrage. Fine colour. Slight creasing and small edge repair, but otherwise very good, Full size. Signed Gosotei Toyokuni hitsu. Status: Sold
Click here to view image full size. Koi (‘carp’) swimming beneath hanging wisteria. One of Yoshitoshi’s finest and most popular designs. Published 1889 by Akiyama Buemon. Very fine early impression, fine colour. Slight trimming at bottom otherwise very good condition. Ample margins for joining. Signed Yoshitoshi ga. Status: Sold
Click here to view image full size. A vertical diptych showing a carp ascending a waterfall. A notoriously difficult design to find without browning and there are many late impressions. Very good impression with careful gradation. Only minimal toning of paper. Minor creasing otherwise good colour and condition. Signed Keisai hitsu with large Keisai seal. Status: Sold
Click here to view image full size. Awabi and snipe-fish from Hiroshige’s first fish series published commercially by Eijudo around 1832-34. A rare design to find in early state. Kruml 6b (Andon 49). Very good impression and colour. Mica on shells. Full size; no centre fold. Signed Ichiryusai Hiroshige ga. Status: Sold
Click here to view image full size. An uncut uchiwa-e ( fan print ) showing a turtle swimming amongst water-lilies and minnows. Chinnen, one of the culminating artists of the Shijo movement, is best known for his illustrated books ( Azuma no teburi and Sonan gafu ) and his brush drawings and paintings. Apart from this there are a number of surimono designed by him. This fan print is almost certainly the only existing impression. Published c 1829 when Chinnen was at the height of his powers, and showing his favourite subject, turtles. Excessively rare. Very good impression and colour. Minor corner soil and marks, otherwise very good condition. Signed Chinnen. Status: Sold
Click here to view image full size. 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 Click here to view image full size. Click here to view image full size. Click here to view image full size. Click here to view image full size. Click here to view image full size. Click here to view image full size. Click here to view image full size. Click here to view image full size.