status: available

Ichiyusai KUNIYOSHI (1797-1861)

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: available

Ichiyusai KUNIYOSHI (1797-1861)

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 200^th 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: available

Ichiyusai KUNIYOSHI (1797-1861)

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 200^th 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: available

Shosai GINKO (FL. 1874-1897)

A charming print showing a Japanese lady elegantly attired, western-style, standing beside a river with steamboats and foreign buildings in the background. She wears a full length coat, lace-trimmed, with colour-coordinated brolly, belt, cuffs and bow at the neck. On her head a stylish bonnet tied below the chin. From a set: Kokin meifu kagami, “A Mirror of Famous Women in Old and Modern Times.” This design shows Kosome, the daughter of Kuniya Sohei. During a boat trip around Japan in 1859 her vessel was hit by a storm and drifted until eventually arriving in Hawaii. Rescued by an American, she went on to study and become a teacher in America. The view behind her shown here obviously represents America.

Fine impression and colour with mica on the water. Light album backing and slight offsetting at top, otherwise good condition. Signed Shosai Ginko.

status: sold

Katsushika HOKUSAI (1760-1849)

Three excessively rare prints ( from a set of four; missing third panel ) showing framed pictures of zodiacal animals; working straw models; and a seiryuto ( a sort of giant halberd ) which were on view in the garden of the Kinryuzan Temple, Asakusa, Edo. The models show a Chinese woman on a white elephant  with the dimensions of the figures ( eg 5 shaku 5 su’n for figure and 1 take 2 shaku for the elephant ); Emperor Komei, with measurement; the seiryuto, with measurement; and Shuso, with measurement. Published by Tsuru Kin. Of the utmost rarity: The only other impressions appear to be the three sheets ( lacking left sheet ) in the Hokusai museum in Tsuwano, Japan, illustrated in the “Human Figure” volume of a 5 volume set by Dr. Nagata and an impression of the last sheet which was in the last Christies sale, London.

Very good impression and colour. Slight edge soil and minor marks, otherwise good condition. Unsigned, but, as stated, fully catalogued by the Hokusai museum.

status: sold

Ichiyusai KUNIYOSHI (1797-1861)

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, 1847/8. 

Fine impression and colour. Small binding holes down edge, otherwise good condition. Signed Ichiyusai Kuniyoshi ga.

status: sold

Ichiyusai KUNIYOSHI (1797-1861)

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, 1847/8.

Fine impression and colour. Small binding holes down edge, otherwise good condition. Signed Ichiyusai Kuniyoshi giga.

status: sold

Attributed to Ichiyusai KUNIYOSHI (1797-1861)

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

Utagawa KUNISADA (1786-1865)

A print with title: Kaso-zaiku, “Bamboo Basket Work”. Shows a peacock, an oni, cat, and shishi lions built of bamboo by the craftsman Naniwa ( Osaka ) Kazuda Shohichiro. An early and possibly unrecorded Kunisada print. Published by Kawaguchiya Heikichi c 1820’s.

Good impression. Slightly trimmed, backed and some fading. Signed Oju ( “ by special request” ) Kunisada ga.

status: available

An interesting folding map showing Edo Tokyo. Sumidagawa in the East and Shinagawa in the West, all dominated by the Tokugawa Shogun's residence at the centre, with civic information and measurements from Nihonbashi, and annual events. Dated Ox 8 (1853).

Good condition.

status: sold

Ichiyusai KUNIYOSHI (1797-1861)

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

Suiken CHIKUYOU (active late 19th century)

Presumably a pupil of Chikanobu. An interesting triptych showing silkworm culture at the Imperial Court: Kyuchuu Yousan no zu. The women elegantly attired in European-style costumes. Published 1888.

Good impression, colour and condition. Signed Suiken Chikuyou.