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Utagawa SADAHIDE (1807 – 1873)
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The battle at Rokuhara in the Taihei war chronicles: Kasunoki Masashige and Ashikaga Takauji who wheeled his troops round on Rokuhara the Hojo headquarters defending Kyoto. Published 1859.
Superb impression, colour and condition. Signed Sadahide ga and Gountei Sadahide ga.
Status: Sold
Ichieisai YOSHITSUYA (active mid-19th century)
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A triptych with title: Ryozoku shinzan yojutsu kurabe no zu, “A Picture of the Two Enemies in a Witchcraft Match in the Deep Mountain”. Shows Hakamadare Yasusuke and Kidomaru fighting with magic. Yoshitoshi designed a vertical diptych of the same subject in 1887. Published 1860 by Tsutaya Kichizo. A wonderful design.
Very good impression and colour. Slight trimming and minor corner defects, otherwise very good condition. Signed Ichieisai Yoshitsuya.
Status: Sold
Utagawa KUNIYOSHI (1797 – 1861)
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Makibashira. Sagi-no-ike Heikuro wrestling a giant python in the mountains from the set: Japanese and Chinese Comparisons for the Chapters of Genji. Robinson S88.31. Published by Ise-Yoshi, 1855-56. One of Kuniyoshi’s finest designs.
Very fine impression of the first edition. Mica on the python. Perfect colour. Margins slightly trimmed but otherwise fine. Signed Ichiyusai Kuniyoshi ga.
Status: Sold
Taiso YOSHITOSHI (1839 – 1892)
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A fireman from the set: Ohoono daiku matoi, A Mirror of Fireman’s Standards in Each of the Precincts of Tokyo. Probably a set of 10 prints published by Okura Magobei, 10/1876. It is not known why this set is so rare, given that firemen were widely admired and on a par with sumo wrestlers and actors. Each fireman holds his standard; his padded clothes were soaked before a fire.
Fine impression, colour and condition. Signed Oju Yoshitoshi hitsu.
Status: Sold
Ichiyusai KUNIYOSHI (1797 – 1861)
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A rare triptych showing the fight between Ushiwaka Maru ( Yoshitsune ) and Benkei on Gojo Bridge in 1170. One of Kuniyshi’s finest designs. Published by Fujioka-ya Hikotaro c 1840.
Very good impression: First edition with the strong gradation on the wooden pillars of the bridge. Very good colour. Minor soil and other small marks, but generally very good condition. Signed Ichiyusai Kuniyoshi ga.
Status: Sold
Ichiyusai KUNIYOSHI (1797 – 1861)
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Takeda Sama-no-suke Nobushige from the set Koetsu yusho den “ Stories of Courageous Warriors from the Koetsu Region”. Shows Nobushige enveloped in a cloud of battle smoke. One of the two best designs from the set. Published by Sumiyoshi-ya Masagoro c1848-9.
Very good impression, colour and condition. Signed Ichiyusai Kuniyoshi ga.
Status: Sold
Tsukioka YOSHITOSHI (1839 – 1892)
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A diptych showing Urashima Taro returning home from the palace of the Dragon King from the set Yoshitoshi manga, “Sketches by Yoshitoshi”. Published by Kobayashi, Meiji 19 ( 1/1886 ). First edition. ( It was republished by Hasegawa 1887.)
Very good impression and colour with margin for joining. Minor backed wormhole otherwise very good condition. Signed Yoshitoshi ga.
Status: Sold
Utagawa YOSHIKAZU (FI. 1850 – 1870)
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An underwater fight between Saito Toshimoto and Raido Shukakuyoku. The best design from the set Buyu kumiuchi tsukushi published by Maruya Jimpachi 1862.
Very good impression and colour. Slight trimming, otherwise very good. Signed Ichikawa Yoshikazu ga.
Status: Sold
Kawanabe KYOSAI (1831 – 1889)
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Shoki the demon quellor. A wonderful image of this famous subject printed almost entirely in red, Extremely rare.
Fine impression: the surface of the paper lightly blind-printed. Fine colour. The bottom edge with light soil and slightly deckled, otherwise fine. Full size. Signed Shoshuosai Toilku ga with seal.
Status: Sold
Utagawa YOSHIFUJI (1828 – 1887)
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The head of the cat-witch of Okabe from the Fifty-Three Stations. The head is composed of convoluted cats’ bodies; the eyes being two bells and the mouth a thick ribbon as worn by cats. The print was published circa 1847 by (appropriately) Kita. Excessively rare and a great 19th century design.
Very good impression and colour. Some small expertly repaired wormholes, otherwise very good condition. Full size. Signed Ipposai Yoshifuji ga.
Status: Sold
Ichiyusai KUNIYOSHI (1797 – 1861)
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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
Ichiyusai KUNIYOSHI (1797 – 1861)
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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
Kawanabe KYOSAI (1831 – 1889)
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Shoki riding a tiger and attacking a group of demons. “May” from a series of Twelve Months. Published by Fukuda Kumajuro Meiji 20 (1887).
Fine impression and colour. Minor sumi spots, otherwise very good condition. (This design is often trimmed for albums and does not match.) Signed Shojo Kyosai ga.
Status: Sold
Ichiyusai KUNIYOSHI (1797 – 1861)
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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
Ichiyusai KUNIYOSHI (1797 – 1861)
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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
Ichiyusai KUNIYOSHI (1797 – 1861)
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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
Taiso YOSHITOSHI (1839 – 1892)
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Wakashima Gonemon swimming underwater. The finest design from Azuma no nishiki ukiyo kodan, published by Masudaya 1867/11.
Very fine impression with perfect gradation. Fine colour and condition. Signed Ikkaisai Yoshitoshi hitsu.
Status: Sold
Taiso YOSHITOSHI (1839 – 1892)
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Choun riding a horse through smoke. One of the finest designs from Azuma no nishiki ukiyo kodan. Published by Yamajin, 1867/9.
Fine impression and colour. Light crease otherwise very good condition. Signed Ikkaisai Yoshitoshi hitsu.
Status: Sold
Taiso YOSHITOSHI (1839 – 1892)
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Mashiba Dairyo Hisayoshi Ko in lightning. The finest design (together with Kon Sosho and the storm dragon) from Yoshitoshi’s first set of ghost prints: Wakan hyaku monogatari. Published by Daikin, 1865/2.
Fine impression, colour and, apart from minor crinkling, condition. Extensive burnishing and other special effects. Signed Ikkaisai Yoshitoshi ga.
Status: Sold
Tsukioka YOSHITOSHI (1839 – 1892)
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The demon Ibaraki of Rashomon ( a gate south of the Imperial Palace in Kyoto ) visits Watanabe no Tsuna disguised as an old woman to retrieve its severed arm. This famous story relates how Watanabe cut off the arm after camping out at the gate to rid the neighbourhood of the beast. ( See below on this website for Yoshitoshi’s vertical diptych of the same subject. ) From Yoshitoshi manga, “Sketches by Yoshitoshi” from a fine set of seven diptychs. Published by Kobayashi 1885-86 ( this being 1885 ).
Very fine impression of the first edition. Fine colour. Fine condition apart from one minor mark. As originally published with no backing paper, with the margins completely untrimmed ( often cut in this set ), and plenty of space for joining. Signed Yoshitoshi ga.
Status: Sold
Utagawa KUNIYOSHI (1797-1861)
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Token Gonbei using a mirror to pluck his forehead (hitai). The style became known as Token hitai. From a set: Kuniyoshi moyo shofuda tsuki genkin otoko, “Men of Ready Money with True Labels Attached, Kuniyoshi Style.” These otokodates (a word that is difficult to translate but was a chivalrous commoner, a fashionable man-about-town, street-wise and ready to assist the oppressed). Gonbei is said to have beaten a barking token (Dutch hunting dog) to death with his bare hands – thus he got his name. Published c 1845 by Iba-ya Kyubei.
Very fine impression. Fine colour. Light album backing, otherwise fine condition. Signed Ichiyusai Kuniyoshi ga.
Status: Sold
Utagawa KUNIYOSHI (1797-1861)
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Sasai Kyuzo Masayasu (Sakai Kyuzo Narashige) enveloped in smoke and disintegrating before a volley of musketry at the battle of the Anegawa (1570). From the set Taiheiki yeiyuden, “Heroic Stories of the Taiheiki. A history of the wars of the loyalist Nitta and Kusunoki families against the Ashikaga war-lords during the second quarter of the fourteenth century. But in fact the subject of this set of fifty prints (this being 12, but not numbered) is the civil war of the late 16th century. Censorship restrictions imposed in the 1840s prevented publishers from illustrating historical subjects from the Tensho era 1573-92 onwards, so the publishers circumvented this by slightly altering the names of the historical figures. Published 1848-9 by Yamamoto-ya Heikichi. Robinson S62.36. The best design from the set.
Fine early impression. Fine colour. Slight nibbling to left edge, otherwise very good condition. Fine impression. Fine colour. Slight trimming, otherwise very good condition. Signed Ichiyusai Kuniyoshi ga.
Status: Sold
Utagawa KUNIYOSHI (1797-1861)
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A poem by the Heian waka poet Fujiwara no Okikaze , one of the Thirty-Six Immortals of poetry. Shows the poet with a lantern walking along the shore of Takasago Bay past one of the famous pines, all in heavy rain. His famous poem refers to the pine. From a set Hyaku-nin isshu, “The Hundred Poets.” The series published by Yebi-Ne, 1840-2.
Fine impression. (This appears to be the first edition with the pine printed lightly in two tones.) Fine colour and condition. Signed Ichiyusai Kuniyoshi ga.
Status: Sold