Catalog (786)

Sparrow on Hortensia (Blue Hydrangea) (aka. A Songbird Among Hydrangea)
Size: Kotanzaku. Approximately 19.4 x 9.6 cm. 7.75 x 3.75 inches.
Date: ca. 1910.
Publisher: Matsumoto (no. 106).
Kono Bairei seal at lower left. Bairei died in 1895, which, curiously, was before Matsumoto was in business. Matsumoto has also issued this print with a proper Koson seal. Please see an example in our last photo.
Medium: Japanese woodblock print.
Condition: Excellent. Pucker in paper...

Aoki Seiko (b. 1880)
Red Berries and Birds (aka. Waxwings)
Size: Approximately 9.75 x 4.75 inches. 24.9 x 12 cm.
Date: ca. 1910.
Publisher: Matsumoto Print Works. Cat. #368 tag on back.
Medium: Japanese woodblock print.
Condition: A conservator has repaired the top edge and corner.
- Rarely seen.
The Matsumoto catalog identifies the birds as kashidori, "a noisy, quarrelsome species of jay."

Takahashi Shotei (1871-1945)
Evening Glow at Sakawa Bridge - Chirimen (creped version)
Date: Pre-1936.
Size: Mitsugiri-ban. Approximately 11.5 x 5.5 inches.
Publisher: Watanabe Shozaburo.
Reference: M-9 in Shotei catalog.
Condition: Small spot above mountain. Pinhole at lower right corner.
Note: The creping process, which was popular in the early twentieth century, adds durability to the paper and tends to intensify color but also changes the dimensions of t...

Shoda Koho
Black Cat at Night
Date: 1930s.
Size: Tanzaku 13.25 x 3.125 inches.
Publisher: Hasegawa/Nishinomiya Yosaku (stamp on verso)
Artist's seal at lower right.
Reference: No. 1602
"Made in Japan" stamped on verso.
Medium: Japanese woodblock print.
Condition: Excellent.

Kawase Hasui
Vermillion-lacquered Temple Gate in Snow
Date: 1930s.
Size: Approximately 6.125 x 4.125 inches.
Publisher: Watanabe Shozaburo
Hasui seal at lower right.
"Made in Japan" stamped on back.
Medium: Japanese woodblock print.
Reference: Hotei Hp-48.
Condition: Excellent.

Tsuchiya Koitsu
Maiko Sea Shore
Date: 1936.
Size: Chuban. Approximately 10.75 x 7.75 inches.
Publisher: Doi Hangaten.
Printer: Yokoi. Carver: Harada. This combination of seals indicates an early postwar edition.
Reference: TK-DH-23 in Koitsu catalogue.
Medium: Japanese woodblock print.
Condition: Back has one tape remnant at top right and a small foxing spot. Slight fading.

Kawase Hasui
Great Buddha, Kamakura (Hase Daibutsu)
Date: 1930s.
Size: 5.875 x 3.75 inches.
Hasui oval seal at lower right.
Reference: Hotei Hp-53
Condition: Back of print has paper residue at top.

Kawase Hasui
Hie Shrine
Date: 1936.
Size: Koban. Approximately 7.5 x 5.0 inches.
Publisher: Watanabe Shozaburo. Bears the oval Hasui seal.
Condition: Excellent.

Ohara Shoson (Koson)
Flycatcher and Cucumber.
Date: pre-1936.
Size: Approximately 10.0 x 3.5 inches.
Publisher: Watanabe Shozaburo. W36-458 in Watanabe 1936 catalog.
Bears the Shoson seal.
Reference: S10.3 (cat. 160, p. 156) in Crows, Cranes and Camellias: The Natural World of Ohara Koson (Reigle Newland).
Condition: Excellent.

Kawase Hasui
Mt. Fuji in Rain (Ame no Fuji)
Size: Koban. Approximately 7.75 x 5.25 inches.
Date: 1930s.
Publisher: Watanabe Shozaburo.
Condition: Excellent.
This print features silver mica streaks of rain.

Kawase Hasui
Miho at Night
Date: 1930s.
Size: Koban postcard. Approximately 5.5 x 3.5 inches.
Publisher: Watanabe Shozaburo.
Reference: Hotei #Hp-9 (W-880).
Medium: Japanese woodblock print.
Condition: Excellent. Unused.

Paul Jacoulet
Chagrin d'Amour: Kusai (Sorrows of Love, Kusaie, East Carolines)
Date: 1940.
Print size: Approximately 6.25 x 4.25 inches.
Publisher: Self-published, from a series of surimono.
Reference: No. 70, The Prints of Paul Jacoulet (Miles).
Print is tipped along its top edge at the inside of an original Christmas card.
Medium: Japanese woodblock print.
Condition: Margin has very faint matte line. Card has tape marks. Slight wave at top of paper.

Andrew Kay Womrath (1869-1939)
Cottage and lane at night (given title)
Paper size: Approximately 8.25 x 6.5 inches.
Edition: 3/14.
Date:ca 1920s.
Medium: Woodblock print.
Condition: Excellent.
Womrath collaborated with Yoshijiro Urushibara (1888-1953) on our Venice by Night (Item Womrath 005).

Takahashi Shotei (1871-1945)
Singers of Popular Songs
Date: pre-1936.
Size: Koban. Approximately 7.5 x 5.0 inches.
Shotei seal at right.
Publisher: Watanabe Shozaburo.
Reference: S-10 in Shotei catalog. Watanabe catalog No. 179
Medium: Japanese woodblock print.
Condition: Excellent.

Ohara Koson
Three small birds on a twig of a red maple
Size: Approximately 17.5 x 12.5 cm. 6.75 x 4.875 inches.
Date: ca. 1910.
Koson signature and seal at lower left.
Publisher: Matsumoto (no. 440).
Reference: AK.18 in Crows, Cranes and Camellias: The Natural World of Ohara Koson (Reigle Newland).
Medium: Japanese woodblock print.
Condition: Excellent. Slight wave in paper around original publisher's label at back.
An early and rarely seen design.

Utagawa Kuniyoshi
Abalone diver resting on a rock with octopi nearby.
Date: ca 1843.
Series: No. 6 from Instructive Index of All Sorts of Proverbs (Tatoe-gusa oshie hayabiki).
Size: Oban. 14 x 9.75 inches.
Publisher: Arita-ya Seiemon.
Medium: Japanese woodblock print.
Condition: Fading. Trimming at top edge. Hard crease at right with notches at top and bottom. Soiling.
Note: This striking print of a diver braiding her hair contains a poem by Ryukatei Ta...

Yamakawa Shuho (1898 - 1944)
Premonition of Snow, 1927
Size: Oban, approximately 15.0 x 10.5 inches.
Publisher: Bijutsusha
Condition. Unframed. This print has had tears and toning professionally restored.
An intriguing bijin image with an unusual title.

Helen Hyde
A Summer Girl, 1905.
Image size: 7 1/4 x 2 3/8 inches.
Paper size: 11 3/4 x 4 1/2 inches.
Signed in pencil, sealed and monogrammed by the artist.
Condition: Excellent.