Catalog (140)

Hishikawa Moronobu
Thunderstorm
Date: 1680
Size: 13 x 9.75 inches.
A book page depicting a thunderstorm from "A Collection of Japanese Paintings" (Yamato-e Zukushi - 大和絵つくし), which includes scenes from the Tale of Genji and Ise Monogatari as well as Noh chants.
Publisher: Urokogataya Sanzaemon.
Medium: Japanese woodblock print.
Condition: Toned with marks and some creasing.
Note: The Library of Congress online collection has an example of this ...

Utagawa Kuniyasu
The actor Bando Mitsugoro
Date: ca 1820
Size: Oban: 15.5 x 10.5 inches.
Publisher: Wakasaya Yoichi (1813-1832)
Censor: Kiwame (seal 1790-1832)
Medium: Japanese woodblock print.
Condition: Margin edge notch. Tape at top back edge. Two wormholes (see photo #4).
Note: This is the only example of this design that we could locate.

Kitagawa Utamaro (1750s-1806)
The right panel of the triptych, Twelve Courtesans of the Ogiya (Brothel) on Display
Date: 1806, 6th month.
Size: Visible image: 15 x 10 inches. Board size: 16 x 11.75 inches.
Publisher: Omiya Gonkuro
Signed: Utamaro hitsu.
Censor's seal: Kiwame
Catalog references: Ukiyo-e shûka 3 (1978), list #316.1-3; Ukiyo-e shûka 12 (1980), pls. 192-4; Shibui, Ukiyo-e zuten Utamaro (1964), 20.3.1-3.
Medium: Japanese woodblock print.
...

Utagawa Fusatane
An evening scene from the Snow, Moon, Flower series
Date: ca. 1850s-60s.
Size: 11.75 x 9.5 inches.
Signed and sealed by the artist.
Medium: Japanese woodblock print.
Condition: Two punch holes from original folio. Thinned area from wormhole at upper left.

Kobayashi Kiyochika
Taro Inari Shrine in the Asakusa Ricefields (Asakusa Tanbo Taro Inari Mae)
From the series, Famous Places of Tokyo (Tokyo Meisho).
Date: 1877-1879.
Signed by the artist at lower left above the grasses.
Publisher: Fukuda Kumajiro.
Size: Oban. Approximately 14.25 x 9.75 inches.
Medium: Japanese woodblock print.
Condition: Excellent color. Bumped corners. Margin lightly creases.

Utagawa Kunisada (Toyokuni III)
Title: Tokaido Numazu (Numazu, from the Processional Tokaido, a series on the arrival of the 14th shogun)
Date: 1863. First edition.
Size: 14.75 x 10 inches.
Publisher: Iseya Kanekichi (Isekane)
Medium: Japanese woodblock print.
Condition: Right margin has holes and pen mark. Light soling.

Ogata Gekko (1859-1920)
Cuckoo with Full Moon
Date: 1900 or earlier.
Size: Shikishiban. 9.75 x 9.25 inches.
Publisher: Matsuki Heikichi (Daikokuya).
Signed and sealed.
Edition: First/early.
Provenance: Purchased from family who acquired in Japan on a 1900 world tour.
Woodblock print is adhered to board.
Condition: Edge toning. Minor marks.

Okuhara Seiko (1837–1913)
Sandpipers on a Beach
Date: 1900 or earlier.
Size: Shikishiban. 9.75 x 9.25 inches.
Publisher: Matsuki Heikichi (Daikokuya).
Signed and sealed.
Edition: First/early.
Provenance: Purchased from family who acquired in Japan on a 1900 world tour.
Woodblock print is adhered to board.
Condition: Edge toning.

Tsukioka Kogyo (1869-1927)
Ships in Harbor
Date: 1900 or earlier.
Size: Shikishiban. 9.75 x 9.25 inches.
Publisher: Matsuki Heikichi (Daikokuya).
Signed.
Edition: First/early.
Provenance: Purchased from family who acquired in Japan on a 1900 world tour.
Woodblock print is adhered to board.
Condition: Edge toning. Minor marks.

Keisai Eisen (1790-1848)
Carp Ascending a Waterfall
Date: 1830-1844.
Size: Vertical oban diptych. 28.5 x 9.75 inches.
Signed Keisai hitsu with red Eisen seal (upper right).
Publisher: Izumiya Ichibei (Kansendo). Kansendo seal (lower left).
Unread notation back (last photo)
Condition: Top left margin uneven. Paper residue at back top corners. Light creasing near top. Faint foxing. Two point-sized invisible wear holes.
- The large size of this famous Eise...

Hiroshige Ando
Suidobashi, Surugadai (Suido Bridge and Surugadai)
Series: No. 48 from Meisho Edo Hyakkei (One Hundred Famous Views of Edo)
Date: Intercalary 5th month, 1857.
Size: Oban 14 x 9.75 inches.
Publisher: Uoya Eikichi.
Medium: Japanese woodblock print.
Condition: Margin blanks and tears repaired by conservator. Soiling.

Koga Iijima (1829-1900)
Leaping Trout
Date: Late nineteenth century.
Publisher: Matsuki Heikichi / Daikokuya.
Signed and sealed by the artist.
Size: Shikishiban. Approximately 9.25 x 9 inches.
Medium: Japanese woodblock print.
Condition: Back toned. Front very good with a few faint marks in sky an left edge toning.
Note: The fish in this wonderful design is highlighted with mica.

Tsunenobu Kano (1636-1713)
Pheasant and Wildflowers
Date: 1900-1910s.
Size: 8.75 x 6.75 inches.
Medium: Japanese woodblock print.
Condition: Residue at back. Light creasing.

Aoki Seiko (b. 1880)
Mt. Fuji and Sailboat (Fuji Yama)
Size: Kotanzaku. Approximately 24.8 x 12.0 cm. 9.75 x 4.75 inches.
Date: ca. 1910.
Artist's signature and seal at lower right.
Publisher: Matsumoto (No. 367). Original publisher's tag on back.
Medium: Japanese woodblock print.
Condition: A few marks in sky. Small bends at top and bottom edges.

Spring Field
Artist: Unidentified.
Size: Approximately 5.625 x 3.625 inches 14.2 x 9.2 cm
Date: ca. 1910.
Publisher: Matsumoto (No. 425).
Medium: Japanese woodblock print.
Condition: Excellent. Wave in paper where original publisher's tag is attached to the back.
The Matsumoto catalog states, "Butterflies are flitting to and fro among the flowers."
An early and rarely seen design.

Aoki Seiko (b. 1880)
Flying Cuckoo
Size: Approximately 9.75 x 4.625 inches. 24.8 x 11.8 cm.
Date: ca. 1910.
Publisher: Matsumoto Print Works. Cat. #360 tag on back.
Medium: Japanese woodblock print.
Condition: Slight creasing where publisher's original tag is attached to back. Small dash mark indentation under bird.
- Rarely seen.

Weissaster (White Aster) Translated by Karl Florenz (German language).
Date: 1897. This edition 1904 with wrap around case.
Published by T Hasegawa, Tokyo (17 Shitaya, Kaminegishi).
96 pages including covers.
Size: 7.75 x 6.0 inches.
Artist: Arai Yoshimune and Mishima Shoso
These charming, profusely illustrated books consist entirely of woodblock prints on creped paper bound with ties and glue. Hasegawa employed some of the best woodblock print artists of the era - ...

Puppies and Banana
Artist: Unidentified. This print is also known to have the unread artist's seal in our enlargement #3.
Size: Approximately 14.4 x 9.0 cm. 5.675 x 3.5 inches
Date: ca. 1910.
Publisher: Matsumoto (No. 416).
Medium: Japanese woodblock print.
Condition: Excellent.
An early and rarely seen design.

Biho Takahashi (Yoshikuni) (1873-)
Bee and Pink Hollyhock
Date: 1900-1910.
Size: Shikishiban. Approximately 9.75 x 9.5 inches.
Signed and sealed by the artist.
Medium: Japanese woodblock print.
Condition: Chipped corner and light creasing.

Shin-Bijutsukai Japanese Design Magazine, vol. 28
Compiled by artist Furuya Korin (1875–1910).
A monthly magazine (1902-06) featuring the work of talented design artists.
First published 1905. This Yamada Unsodo-published edition dates to 1906 or later.
Contains 20 full-page, original woodblock-printed designs.
Publisher: Kyoto Unsodo.
Size: 9.5 x 6.5 inches.
Medium: Woodblock-printed book bound with silk ties.
Condition: Some wear at front and back cov...

"Mandarin Ducks" and "Sparrows on Hedge"
Artist: Seals unread.
Size: Each approximately 5.625 x 3.625 inches 14.2 x 9.2 cm
Date: ca. 1910.
Publisher: Matsumoto (Nos. 427 and 424).
Medium: Japanese woodblock prints.
Condition: Ink marks as shown. Original fibers within handmade paper.
Early and rarely seen designs.

Watanabe Seitei (1851-1918)
Winter Landscape
Date: Early twentieth century.
Publisher: Matsuki Heikichi / Daikokuya.
Sealed by the artist.
Size: Shikishiban. Approximately 9.25 x 9 inches.
Medium: Japanese woodblock print.
The print has backing paper attached at the left and right edges only.
Condition: Very good with left edge vertical crease corresponding to the location where backing paper is attached.

Uehara Konen (1878-1940)
Pagoda and Moon
Size: 5.0 x 3.25 inches. 12.8 x 8.4 cm.
ca. 1910.
Published by Kobayashi Bunshichi. The publisher's shop and many works did not survive the 1923 earthquake.
Artist's seal lower right.
Publisher's seal right.
Cartouche with number 262 in Japanese at right.
Medium: Japanese woodblock print.
Condition. Ink dot in tree.

Aoki Seiko (b. 1880)
Quails Under the Moonlight
Size: 9.75 x 4.75 inches. 24.6 x 12 cm.
Date: ca. 1910.
Publisher: Matsumoto Print Works. Cat. #366 tag on back.
Medium: Japanese woodblock print.
Condition: Slight bend at lower left corner.

Josetsu (Jousetsu) 城雪
Cock and Hen with Chickens under a Plum-tree
Size: 7 x 4.75 inches.
Date: ca. 1910.
Publisher: Matsumoto Print Works. Cat. #164 tag on back.
Medium: Japanese woodblock print from a painting by Tokyo artist Josetsu.
Condition: A few marks. Slight waviness corresponding to location of tag on back.

Ito Sozan
Peahen
Date: Pre-1923. Pre-earthquake.
Size: Tanzaku. 11.75 x 5.25 inches.
Publisher: Watanabe Shozaburo.
Artist's double red square seal at lower right.
Reference: Attribution by Mauro Novelli as T-48 at itosozan.com.
Medium: Crepe (chirimen) Japanese woodblock print.
Condition: Lightly foxed.

Okuhara Seiko (1837-1918; female)
Cherry Blossoms Under the Full Moon
Date: 1900s-1910s
Publisher: Daikokuya.
Unsigned. Signed examples exist.
Size: Shikishiban. Approximately 9.75 x 9.5 inches.
Medium: Japanese woodblock print.
Condition: Slight toning. Left and right edges bumped.

William Seltzer Rice (1873-1963) Italian Boat
Date: Likely 1913-1915.
Paper size 7.75 x 5.5 inches.
Print size: 4.75 x 3.875 inches.
Signed and titled in pencil.
Medium: Woodblock print.
Condition: Lightly foxed, primarily outside the image area. Margin blanks (see additional photos for full margins). Tape on verso.
Note: We could find no other reference to this title by the California artist and believe that this could be the only known color example. Howeve...

Luigi Kasimir (1881-1962)
Corvara, in the Dolomite Alps, South Tyrol, Austria
Titled and dated in pencil, "Corvara 11 Feb. 1916".
Medium: Etching.
Size: 15 x 15 inches.
Signed in pencil by artist at lower margin.
Condition: Tape remnants at outer margin.

Unsigned Japanese Woodblock Print
Woman in Purple on Balcony
Date: Early 20th century.
Size: 11.0 x 8.5 inches.
Provenance: From the collection of Canadian missionary Sybil Courtice, who was in Japan from the early 20th century up until WWII.
Medium: Japanese woodblock print.
Condition: Excellent.

Saito Hodo (aka Nishimura Hodo)
A balcony scene with falling cherry blossoms
Date: 1920s.
Size: Oban. 15.25 x 10.25 inches.
Publisher: Takemura Hideo.
Signed "H. Saito" by the artist.
Medium: Japanese watercolor.
Condition: Faint matte line.
Note: Paintings and woodblock prints variously signed as "H. Saito" (Saito Hodo) and "Nishimura Hodo" were published by Takemura Hideo. They are very likely by the same artist. Works with these signatures had similar s...

Leonard Tsuguharu Foujita (1886-1968)
White Cat
Date: 1929
Signed by the artist in the image in English and Japanese.
Matte size: 23.25 x 19.375 inches. Matte window: 17.5 x 12.75 inches.
Medium: Japanese woodblock print with gauffrage embossing on the cat (seen in indirect light).
Condition: Woodblock print is sealed inside matte and is possibly adhered to board. Some creasing visible in side lighting.

Andrew Kay Womrath (1869-1939)
In collaboration with Yoshijiro Urushibara (1888-1953)
Venice at Night
Size: Chuban. Approximately 11.625 x 8 inches.
Edition: 3/50 OR 33/50. Numbered in pencil at lower left.
Date: ca 1920s.
Signed "A Kay Womrath" in pencil.
Medium: Japanese woodblock print.
Condition: Foxing nearly entirely in margin. Margin blank at lower left.
Note: An example of this night scene is paired with its daytime version in the Smithsonian ...

Hans Frank, Austrian (1884-1948)
Venice II, 1925 (Venedig II, 1925)
Date: 1925.
Paper size: 17.5 X 13.25 inches (44.5 x 33.9 cm).
Window size: 16 x 12 inches (40.5 x 30.5 cm).
Signed and dated at lower right.
Medium: Color woodcut on laid Japanese paper.
Condition: Small crease at upper right corner. The odd small mark in image.
Attached with archival tape to top of a 24 x 20-inch matte).

Artist: Yamamoto (seal)
Gotemba in Snow
Bears artist's seal.
Publisher: Takemura Hideo. Bears round Takemura seal.
Date: 1930s. Collected after WWII but very likely from Takemura's pre-war stock.
Size: 5.5 x 3.5 inches.
Tipped at top to original greeting card.
Condition: Print is very good. Card is discolored.

Funazaki Kojiro (b. 1900)
Eboshi Rock in Kaiba Island
From the collection, "One Hundred New Views of Japan"
Size: Approximately 11.75 x 8.75 inches.
Date: 1940.
Limited edition of 150.
Block bears the Kojiro signature and title.
Publisher: Nihon Hanga Kyokai (Japan Print Association)
Medium: Japanese woodblock print.
Condition: Trimmed margins.