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A small tanzaku showing bats flying against a full moon above a lumberyard. A poem reads: “The colour of the bats’ wings was born in darkness.” Published c. late 1830s. Rare: Another impression is illustrated in Japanese Prints IV – Hiroshige and the Utagawa school, the Rijksmuseum, 1984, 46 61:35, p. 35.

Very good impression, colour and condition. Signed Hiroshige hitsu.

Status: Sold

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A chu-tanzaku showing sparrows and poppies. Published by Kawaguchiya Shozo, c. late 1830s. A poem: Tori tonde (tobite) / abunaki keshi no / hitoe kana, “ A bird flying by / poses danger to poppies / with single layers of petals.” The same poem is used on another chu-tanzaku showing a bluebird and poppies, see MET Museum, JP2532. Other impressions of this print are in Honolulu Museum of Art, 18009; MFA, Boston, 21.8018; Chazen, University of Wisconsin-Madison, 1980.1887.

Very good impression and colour. Very small expertly restored wormholes, otherwise very good condition. Signed Hiroshige hitsu.

Status: Sold

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A tanzaku showing a parrot perched on hanging ivy. Published c 1830s by Kawasho (Kawaguchi Shozo).

Fine impression and colour. Centre fold, otherwise very good condition. Signed Hiroshige hitsu.

Status: Sold

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A koi, carp (Cyprinus carpio) swimming amongst reeds. Poem by Makuzu. From the second series of ten fish prints published by Yamasho, c. 1840-42. The first series was issued privately for a poetry group (probably the Shingyoku Circle) with judges’ names and with extra poems. These prints are of the utmost rarity as probably only enough for the Circle were made and they never come onto the market. Due to their popularity this second set was commissioned. This is the very rare first edition with the reeds printed. Block defect showing but with gradation still on belly of fish. One of the finest designs from the two series. Very rare. Kruml 12a/b.

Fine impression. Slight fading and edge soil, otherwise very good condition. Without centre fold (in itself rare as they often have them). Signed Hiroshige hitsu.

Status: Sold

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A kami, crab (Charybois), and saba, mackerel (Scomber Japonicus), together with two flowers of morning glory. Poem by Shichichintei. This is the first edition (Kruml 19a). From the second series of ten fish prints published by Yamasho, c. 1840-42. The first series was issued privately for a poetry group (probably the Shingyoku Circle) with judges’ names and with extra poems. These prints are of the utmost rarity as probably only enough for the Circle were made and they never come onto the market. Due to their popularity this second set was commissioned.

Fine impression, colour and condition. Signed Hiroshige ga.

Status: Sold

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Hirame, olive halibut ( Paralichthys olivaceus ) and mebaru, black rock-fish ( Sebastes schlegeli ). Together with cherry blossom. Poem by Osaki Koharu. From the second series of nine fish prints published c 1840 – 42 by Yamasho ( Yamadoya Shobei ). Ex collection Felix Bracquemond ( 1833 – 1914 ). Japonisme in France usually starts with Bracquemond who was a graphic artist and designer and also worked with ceramics. He discovered Hokusai’s Manga in 1856 and used it as source material. He produced a number of etchings, often of birds and some with fish, obviously partly inspired by Japanese prints, including Hiroshige’s prints. So, it’s reasonable to suppose these were the actual prints he used as inspiration. Bracquemond’s initial: “B” accompanied the prints.

Very good impression, colour and condition. Centre fold as per usual. Signed Hiroshige ga.

Status: Sold

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Shimadai, a grouper ( probably Chilodactylus zonatus ) and ainame, greenling ( Hexagrammus otakii ). Together with red-berried nanten. Poem by Kanshunro Nushibito. From the second series of nine fish prints published c 1840 – 42 by Yamasho ( Yamadoya Shobei ). Ex collection Felix Bracquemond ( 1833 – 1914 ). Japonisme in France usually starts with Bracquemond who was a graphic artist and designer and also worked with ceramics. He discovered Hokusai’s Manga in 1856 and used it as source material. He produced a number of etchings, often of birds and some with fish, obviously partly inspired by Japanese prints, including Hiroshige’s prints. So, it’s reasonable to suppose these were the actual prints he used as inspiration. Bracquemond’s initial: “B” accompanied the prints.

Very good impression, colour and condition. Centre fold as per usual. Signed Hiroshige ga.

Status: Sold

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Akodai, the rock-fish. ( Sebastes matsubarae ). Known as the medetai, good-luck fish. Together with bamboo grass. Poem by Suzugaki. From the second series of nine fish prints published c 1840 – 42 by Yamasho ( Yamadoya Shobei ). Ex collection Felix Bracquemond ( 1833 – 1914 ). Japonisme in France usually starts with Bracquemond who was a graphic artist and designer and also worked with ceramics. He discovered Hokusai’s Manga in 1856 and used it as source material. He produced a number of etchings, often of birds and some with fish, obviously partly inspired by Japanese prints, including Hiroshige’s prints. So, it’s reasonable to suppose these were the actual prints he used as inspiration. Bracquemond’s initial: “B” accompanied the prints.

Very good impression, colour and condition. Centre fold as per usual. Signed Hiroshige hitsu.

Status: Sold

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Inada, yellowtail or amberjack ( Seriola quinqueradiata ) and fugu, blowfish or puffer ( Fugu pardalis ). Together with plum blossom. Poem by Suzugaki. From the second series of nine fish prints published c 1840 – 42 by Yamasho ( Yamadoya Shobei ). Ex collection Felix Bracquemond ( 1833 – 1914 ). Japonisme in France usually starts with Bracquemond who was a graphic artist and designer and also worked with ceramics. He discovered Hokusai’s Manga in 1856 and used it as source material. He produced a number of etchings, often of birds and some with fish, obviously partly inspired by Japanese prints, including Hiroshige’s prints. So, it’s reasonable to suppose these were the actual prints he used as inspiration. Bracquemond’s initial: “B” accompanied the prints.

Very good impression, colour and condition. Centre fold as per usual. Signed Hiroshige hitsu.

Status: Sold

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Suzuki, Japanese sea perch ( Lateolabrax japonicus ) and kaneme-tai, red bream ( possibly Beryx splendens ). With shiso or beefsteak plant. Poem by Atsugaki. From the second series of nine fish prints published c 1840 – 42 by Yamasho ( Yamadoya Shobei ). Ex collection Felix Bracquemond ( 1833 – 1914 ). Japonisme in France usually starts with Bracquemond who was a graphic artist and designer and also worked with ceramics. He discovered Hokusai’s Manga in 1856 and used it as source material. He produced a number of etchings, often of birds and some with fish, obviously partly inspired by Japanese prints, including Hiroshige’s prints. So, it’s reasonable to suppose these were the actual prints he used as inspiration. Bracquemond’s initial: “B” accompanied the prints.

Very good impression, colour and condition. Centre fold as per usual. Signed Hiroshige ga.

Status: Sold

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Katsuo, bonito ( Katsuwonus pelamis ). Also called ocean bonito, stripe-bellied bonito and striped tuna. Together with three sprigs of cherry ( sakura ). Poems by Toshinoto Haruki and Toshihiro Machikado. From the first series of eleven fish prints published c 1840 – 42 by Yamasho ( Yamadoya Shobei ). Ex collection Felix Bracquemond ( 1833 – 1914 ). Japonisme in France usually starts with Bracquemond who was a graphic artist and designer and also worked with ceramics. He discovered Hokusai’s Manga in 1856 and used it as source material. He produced a number of etchings, often of birds and some with fish, obviously partly inspired by Japanese prints, including Hiroshige’s prints. So, it’s reasonable to suppose these were the actual prints he used as inspiration. Bracquemond’s initial: “B” accompanied the prints.

Very good impression, colour and condition. Centre fold as per usual. Signed Hiroshige ga.

Status: Sold

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Tobiuo, flying fish ( probably Prognichthys ) and ishimochi also called guchi or shiroguchi, white croaker ( probably Argyrosomus argenatus ). Together with a single lily. Poem by Toshigaki Maharu. From the second series of nine fish prints published c 1840 – 42 by Yamasho ( Yamadoya Shobei ). Ex collection Felix Bracquemond ( 1833 – 1914 ). Japonisme in France usually starts with Bracquemond who was a graphic artist and designer and also worked with ceramics. He discovered Hokusai’s Manga in 1856 and used it as source material. He produced a number of etchings, often of birds and some with fish, obviously partly inspired by Japanese prints, including Hiroshige’s prints. So, it’s reasonable to suppose these were the actual prints he used as inspiration. Bracquemond’s initial: “B” accompanied the prints.

Very good impression, colour and condition. Centre fold as per usual. Signed Hiroshige ga.

Status: Sold

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Shiroamadai, white horsehead ( Latilus argentatus ) and omonhata, rock cod ( Epinephalus areolatus ). Together with Japanese horse radish, wasabi. Poem by Atsugaki. From the second series of nine fish prints published c 1840 – 42 by Yamasho ( Yamadoya Shobei ). Ex collection Felix Bracquemond ( 1833 – 1914 ). Japonisme in France usually starts with Bracquemond who was a graphic artist and designer and also worked with ceramics. He discovered Hokusai’s Manga in 1856 and used it as source material. He produced a number of etchings, often of birds and some with fish, obviously partly inspired by Japanese prints, including Hiroshige’s prints. So, it’s reasonable to suppose these were the actual prints he used as inspiration. Bracquemond’s initial: “B” accompanied the prints.

Very good impression, colour and condition. Centre fold as per usual. Signed Hiroshige hitsu.

Status: Sold

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A vertical diptych showing a multitude of cranes flying up from a cresting wave to a large red sun. In fact this diptych was used by an Edo publisher as end sheets to albums – usually sets of Hiroshige landscapes. Rare: Invariably it is impossible to match the two sheets as the bottom design is always graded blue at the top. Another matching impression is illustrated pl. 143 in Four Hundred Ukiyoe Woodblock Prints From The Museum Of Art, Rhode Island School Of Design, Abby Aldrich Rockefeller Collection Of Japanese Prints, 1990. Published 5/1858.

Fine impression and colour. Small expertly repaired binding holes, otherwise good condition. Collector’s seal bottom right on each sheet. Signed Hiroshige fude.

Status: Sold

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Awabi or tokobushi, abalone or “sea-ear” and sayori, Japanese half-beak or snipe-fish, together with peach blossom from the first series of ten prints published by Eijudo, c. 1832-4.

Good impression. Very good colour. Slight creasing, otherwise good condition. Signed Ichiyusai Hiroshige ga.

Status: Sold

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A chu-tanzaku showing a wild boar beside a waterfall. This was probably designed for a set of twelve zodiacal signs set. Other known prints from this group are: Ox, Dog, Hare, Tiger, Monkey and Horse. All are extremely rare. Indeed, I cannot locate another impression of this print. Published c 1830 by Fujihiro.

Fine impression. Restored wormhole centre right and slight centre fold. Otherwise good condition. Signed Hiroshige ga.

Status: Sold

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Evening with full moon and bats flying over irregular wood stacked in a timberyard. A well known print. One third block, 9.75 x 5 in; 25 x 12.5 cms. The only complete uncut example seems to be that illustrated in Four Hundred Ukiyoe Woodblock Prints From The Museum Of Art, Rhode Island School Of Design, 1990, no. 167, which shows the companion prints to be butterflies and wild grasses and tuna and white radish. Hiroshige designed another bat print, otherwise it?s a rare subject for ukiyoe. Ex collection Paul-Louis de la Noe, 1879-1919, ( an acquaintance of the Goncourt brothers, Bing and Hayashi ). Published c late 1830s.

Fine impression. Very good colour and condition. Signed Hiroshige hitsu.

Status: Sold