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. Umegaya, Kajiwara Genda Kagesuye fighting at Ikuta-no-mori from the set Buyu nazoraye Genji, “Heroic Comparisons for the Chapters of Genji”, published by Iba-ya Sensaburo, c.1843. Robinson S28.32. O-tanzako format. Very good impression and colour. Slightly trimmed top and bottom. Signed Cho-o-ro Kuniyoshi ga. Status: Sold
Click here to view image full size. Nakamura Kansuke Masatatsu warding off a brazier of hot ashes from the set Seicho gishi shozo, “Portraits of the Faithful Samurai of True Loyalty”. Robinson S78.6. Published 1853 by Sumiyoshi-ya Masagoro. The set characterised by strong westernised effects. Very good impression and colour. Extensive sprayed pigment to simulate falling ash. Very small binding holes and slight trimming, otherwise very good condition. Signed Kuniyoshi ga. Status: Sold
Click here to view image full size. Triptych showing the Taira ghosts attacking Yoshitsune’s ship amid huge waves. One of Kuniyoshi’s favourite subjects and an extremely fine and rare design. Published c.1850. Very good impression, colour and condition. Signed Ichiyusai Kuniyoshi ga. Status: Sold
Click here to view image full size. Hatsuhana doing penance under the Tonozawa Waterfall fulfilling a vow made on behalf of our sick husband. The best design from Stories of Wise and Virtuous Women. Published c.1842 by Ibaya Sensaburo. Fine impression and colour. Slight trimming at bottom and small repaired wormholes at edge, otherwise very good condition. Signed Ichiyusai Kuniyoshi ga. Status: Sold
Click here to view image full size. Fuse-hime saving the child Masashi from a thunderbolt from “Eight Hundred Heroes of our Country’s Suikoden, One by One”. Published by Kaga-ya Kichiyemon c.1836. Robinson S4c.3. Fine impression, colour and condition. Full size. Signed Ichiyusai Kuniyoshi ga. Status: Sold
Click here to view image full size. An extremely rare surimono. ( I have only located one other impression at the present moment: no. 192, p. 178, Heroes & Ghosts, Hotei publishing, 1998.) Shows Ichikawa Danjuro VIII in Shibaraku role. The voluminous robe and huge mon gives rise to some of the most dramatic and abstract designs in ukiyo-e. Published c.1830. Fine impression with burnishing. Very good colour. Minimal soil and creasing. Signed Cho-o-ro Kuniyoshi ga. Status: Sold
Click here to view image full size. An excessively rare surimono, no.3 from a set Fuzoku onna Suikoden, “The Suikoden in the Customs of Women”. Shows a girl sitting on the shore, pipe in hand and her tobacco pouch on the side of a basket. Published for the Taikogawa poetry club, c1829. Ex Vever collection. Impressions from this set are nearly always copies. Very fine impression with extensive silver and gold. Granules of gold ( actually brass ) scattered over the beach to simulate sand. Fine colour and condition. Signed Ichiyusai Kuniyoshi ga. Status: Sold
Click here to view image full size. 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 sheet has an unidentified subject. Unrecorded ? And the top chuban seems to show a [ bat ] parody of the Chushingura. Unrecorded ? Fine impressions and colour. Small backed binding holes and slight soil to corner. Signed Ichiyusai Kuniyoshi ga. Status: Sold
Click here to view image full size. 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 appears to show a [ bat ] Daimyo and female [ bat ] attendants. Unrecorded ? The top chuban shows Sukeroku, illustrated no. 249 in Utagawa Kuniyoshi, Exhibition to Commemorate the 200th Anniversary of Utagawa Kuniyoshi’s Birth, Japan 1996. Same impression also illustrated in Kuniyoshi, Juzo Suzuki, Tokyo 1992, pl. 435. Fine impressions and colour. Small backed binding holes and slight soil to corner. Signed Ichiyusai Kuniyoshi ga. Status: Sold
Click here to view image full size. 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
Click here to view image full size. 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 Fine impression and colour. Small binding holes down edge, otherwise good condition. Signed Ichiyusai Kuniyoshi ga. Status: Sold
Click here to view image full size. 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 Fine impression and colour. Small binding holes down edge, otherwise good condition. Signed Ichiyusai Kuniyoshi giga. Status: Sold
Click here to view image full size. 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
Click here to view image full size. 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
Click here to view image full size. 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 Click here to view image full size.
Click here to view image full size. An uchiwa-e ( fan print ) showing a young girl leaning over the side of a boat and wetting a towel. “Cool” from a set of six prints: Imayo rokkasen, “Six Modern Choises for Summer”. Published 2 Unidentified publisher. Superb impression, colour and condition. Signed Ichiyusai Kuniyoshi ga. Status: Sold
Click here to view image full size. Chapter 51, Ukifune, from Nazoraye Genji kyokun dzuye, “Illustrations of Moral Conduct Compared with the Chapters of Genji”. A girl holding an umbrella on a snow covered bridge. Published by Maru-ya Jimpachi c1843. One of the best designs from the set. Very good impression and colour. Light album backing. Very good condition. Signed Ichiyusai Kuniyoshi ga. Status: Sold
Click here to view image full size. Chapter 41, Maboroshi, from Nazoraye Genji kyokun dzuye, “Illustrations of Moral Conduct Compared with the Chapters of Genji”. A girl watches returning geese against a full moon. Published by Maru-ya Jimpachi c1843. One of the best designs from the set. Very good impression and colour. Light album backing. Very good condition. Signed Ichiyusai Kuniyoshi ga Status: Sold
Click here to view image full size. An important album of 26 original sumi shijo-style drawings by Kuniyoshi folding out to 10.5 x 15.5 in; 26.5 x 39.5 cms. Various subjects. Red kiri seal on last drawing of Hotei and Kuniyoshi signature pasted onto end of album ( signature c 1847 ). The only similar album by Kuniyoshi I have seen was one I sold about 20 years ago. An important addition for any Kuniyoshi collection. Some stains and minor marks, but generally good condition. 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. Click here to view image full size. Click here to view image full size.
Click here to view image full size. A beauty powdering her face. From Kuniyoshi’s finest set of fan prints. An untitled series of at least eight designs showing young women in a state of dishabille at their toilette in front of mirrors, the corners partly concealed with cloth covers. Published c 1843-5 by Ibaya Sensaburo. For obvious reasons, uncut uchiwa-e are scarce. Indeed, there appears to be only one other impression of this design illustrated in an Exhibition of Ukiyo-e by Kuniyoshi, Riccar Art Museum, 1978, no. 172 and elsewhere ( from the Museum of Fine Arts, Bidwell Collection, Springfield USA ). The other known prints from this rare set are: 1) A beauty applying rouge to her lips; 2) A beauty shaving her forehead; 3) A beauty suckling a child; 4) A beauty adjusting her hair with scissors; 5) A beauty playing with a cat; 6) A beauty combing her hair; 7) A beauty about to brush her teeth. Very good impression and colour. One small repaired wormhole, otherwise good condition. Uncut. The rich blue grounds on this series have added mica. Signed Ichiyusai Kuniyoshi ga. Status: Sold