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Suzuki HARUNOBU (1724-1770)
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An hosoban mizue, “water print” showing the poet Ariwara no Narihira (825-880) in a boat with his companions gazing at a pair of miyakodori birds inspiring his poem (shown in the poem-slip top right) asking the birds if his lover is safe. From a set Mukashi otoku, “Once There Was a Man,” illustrating episodes from the Ise monogatari. Mizue prints were produced in almost translucent washes without a black outline and had a vogue around 1762-1764 bridging the gap between two and three colour printing and full polychrome printing pioneered by Harunobu. This is only one of two designs surviving from the set. For another impression see The Harunobu Decade, David Waterhouse, Hotei publishing, 2013, no. 24, p. 54 (where the birds are not visible, but Waterhouse surmises [correctly] that they are there). Unidentified publisher’s seal c 1762-64. Rare.
Very good impression. Possibly the waves and other small areas were printed using the dayflower which was notorious for rapidly fading to a puce colour when exposed to light and moisture. In fact, there are very few mizue prints extant where the fugitive pigment is still visible. Otherwise very good colour and condition. Signed Harunobu ga.
Status: Available
Price: £2,800
Utagawa HIROSHIGE (1797-1858)
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Very fine early impression. Fine colour. Minimal soil bottom right margin. Large margins. Fine condition. Signed Hiroshige ga.
Status: Available
Price: £8,800
Utagawa HIROSHIGE (1797-1858)
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Fine impression and colour, the rain printed with gofun. Very light album backing, otherwise fine condition. Signed Hiroshige ga.
Status: Available
Price: £5,800
Utagawa HIROSHIGE (1797-1858)
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Fine impression and colour. Minor soil, otherwise very good condition. Signed Hiroshige ga.
Status: Available
Price: £8,800
Utagawa HIROSHIGE (1797-1858)
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Fine impression and colour. This is the first edition with variegated cartouche. Slight centre fold and very small marks in top margin, otherwise fine condition. Signed Hiroshige ga.
Status: Available
Price: £2,800
Utagawa HIROSHIGE (1797-1858)
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Fine impression and colour. This is the first edition with variegated cartouche. Slight centre fold, otherwise fine condition. Signed Hiroshige ga.
Status: Available
Price: £2,800
Utagawa HIROSHIGE (1797-1858)
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Fine impression with strong blind-printing on the fall. Slight fading and toning in margins, otherwise very good condition. Very large borders. Signed Hiroshige ga.
Status: Available
Price: £2,800
Utagawa TOYOKUNI II (TOYOSHIGE) (1777-1835)
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Fine impression. Fine colour with the title cartouche still retaining some purple which is famous for fading to a puce colour. Slight centre fold, otherwise very good condition. Signed Toyokuni hitsu.
Status: Available
Price: £18,000
Utagawa TOYOKUNI II (TOYOSHIGE) (1777-1835)
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Fine impression and colour with colour in title cartouche perfectly retained. Fine condition. Signed Toyokuni hitsu.
Status: Available
Price: £3,800
Utagawa TOYOKUNI II (TOYOSHIGE) (1777-1835)
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Fine impression and colour with colour in title cartouche well retained. Fine condition. Signed Toyokuni hitsu.
Status: Available
Price: £4,200
Utagawa TOYOKUNI II (TOYOSHIGE) (1777-1835)
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Fine impression and colour with colour in title cartouche well retained. Fine condition. Signed Toyokuni hitsu.
Status: Available
Price: £6,800
Utagawa TOYOKUNI II (TOYOSHIGE) (1777-1835)
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Fine impression and colour with colour in title cartouche well retained. Fine condition. Signed Toyokuni hitsu.
Status: Available
Price: £5,500
Utagawa KUNINAO (1793-1854)
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Fine impression and colour. Lightly toned. Extremely large margins. Signed Kuninao ga.
Status: Available
Price: £2,000
Shotei HOKUJU (Active 1787-1818)
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Kai no kuni Saruhashi no shinsha no zu, “A True View of the Monkey Bridge in the Province of Kai.” An impressive wooden bridge spans a deep chasm. It was called the “Monkey Bridge” because the original rickety plank structure was so precarious that only an agile monkey could cross it. Hokuju produced a number of these westernised landscapes and this is one of the best designs. Published by Nishimuraya Yohachi, c 1815. It is also known with variant colour schemes.
Very good impression and colour. Slightly trimmed around and imperceptible centre fold. Signed Shotei Hokuju ga.
Status: Available
Price: £5,800
Ichiryusai HIROSHIGE (1797-1858)
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Seki and Kameyama from the chuban Muraichi Tokaido. The set of 56 prints published by Muraichi, 1852. Printed two-to-a-sheet uncut and probably from a complete proof set. Double censor’s seals Murata and Kinugasa and date seal 2ic/1852 top right.
Fine impressions with strong woodgrain showing. Fine colour. Very small binding holes in right border, otherwise fine condition. Signed Hiroshige ga on each print.
Status: Available
Price: £800
Keisai EISEN (1790-1848)
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Kegon no taki, santaki no sono ikkei, “ The Kegon Waterfall, View of One of the Three Falls.” From a set Nikkosan meisho no uchi, “Celebrated Views in the Nikko Mountains.” Three travellers rather precariously perched on a ledge looking down at the fall. From a set of five prints: It was probably intended to be a set of three prints but another two were added, possibly with the intention of going on to emulate Hokusai’s waterfall set. Published by Yamamotoya Heikichi (Eikyudo) c. 1843-47. In contrast to Hokusai’s set, Eisen’s have a more muscular appearance. See: The Japanese Print: A New Approach, J. Hillier, Bell & Son, 1960, Chapter XVI, where Jack Hillier discusses Eisen and his landscapes and considers this set “… is perhaps the crowning achievement of his career as a designer of landscape prints.”
Fine impression. (Late impressions are not known of this set, probably due to not having the popularity of Hokusai’s set.) Fine impression. Very good colour. Slight edge soil, otherwise very good condition. Signed Keisai Eisen utsusu.
Status: Available
Price: £7,200
Utagawa HIROSHIGE II (1826-1869)
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Taishu kaigan, a Dutch ship off the seashore of Tsushima Province from Shokoku meisho hyakkei, “One Hundred Views of Famous Places in the Provinces.” The Japanese island is located off the west coast of the island of Kyushu north of Nagasaki. Published by Uoya Eikichi between 1859 and 1861, this being 1860.
Fine impression of the first edition with variegated cartouche and burnishing on the boat. Fine colour. Album backing, otherwise fine condition. Full margins. Signed Hiroshige ga.
Status: Available
Price: £2200
Utagawa YOSHIKAZU (Fl. 1850-70)
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Triptych showing an American steamship. Amerika jokisen, nagasa yonjuken, haba rokken, “American Steamship: Measuring Two Hundred and Sixty Feet long and Forty Feet wide.” Published by Maruya Jinpachi (Enjudo), 1861. A fine depiction.
Very fine impression and colour; light burnishing on boat. Album backing; two sheets connected, otherwise fine condition. Signed Ichikawa Yoshikazu ga.
Status: Available
Price: £5800
Utagawa KUNIYOSHI (1797-1861)
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A triptych of Yokohama Honcho no zue, “Honcho [Main Street] in Yokohama.” Shows the busy street one year after the port opened to foreign trade on 2nd June 1859. The Mitsui store is seen at left and the street is thronged with tradesmen and Japanese and foreign visitors. Originally the fishing village was chosen to protect foreign residents from the hostile marauding samurai on the nearby Tokaido road. The town expanded rapidly speaking a fusion language of Japanese, Dutch and English. Photographs by Kusakabe Kinbei around 1880 show the street tree-lined. Published by Izumiya Ichibei (Kansendo), 1860.
Fine impression and colour. Album backing; two sheets connected, otherwise fine condition. Signed Ichiyusai Kuniyoshi ga.
Status: Available
Price: £2800
Utagawa HIROSHIGE II (1826-1869)
The complete 6-sheet Kanagawa: Noge Yokohama, an evening scene showing an aerial view of Yokohama with an American ship entering the port on the far left. The two triptychs were published separately: the left 2/1861 and 6/1861 on the right but form a complete design. Very rare complete.
Fine impression and colour. Album backing; two sheets connected on each triptych and small pin holes on borders of two sheets, but otherwise fine condition. Signed Hiroshige ga.
Status: Available
Price: £4200
Utagawa HIROSHIGE (1797-1858)
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Seki from a Tokaido set published by Maruya Seijiro, 1850-51, hence it is often referred to as the Marusei Tokaido. Also known as the Reisho Tokaido because the title “Tokaido” is written in formal script. Below is the station number 48. Seki was located where the two highways of Tokaido and Ise-ji meet. Seki means “barrier checkpoint.” Figures pass beneath a torii gate on a snowy hillside.
Fine impression and colour. Minor edge soil, otherwise very good condition. Signed Hiroshige ga.
Status: Available
Price: £3,500
Utagawa HIROSHIGE (1797-1858)
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Station Numazu from a set Tokaido gojusan tsugi, “The Fifty-three Stations of the Tokaido Road,” aka the Reisho Tokaido from the clerical script used in the title, or the Marusei Tokaido after the publisher Maruya Seijiro (Marusei) who published the set 1847-52. An impressive view of Mount Fuji seen from the plains of Suruga. The village of Numazu is seen on the right amongst the trees.
Very fine impression. Fine colour and condition. Signed Hiroshige ga.
Status: Available
Price: £1,500
Utagawa HIROSHIGE (1797-1858)
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Station Hara from a set Tokaido gojusan tsugi, “The Fifty-three Stations of the Tokaido Road,” aka the Reisho Tokaido from the clerical script used in the title, or the Marusei Tokaido after the publisher Maruya Seijiro (Marusei) who published the set 1847-52. A huge Mount Fuji towers over the landscape emphasized by the diminutive travellers in the foreground.
Very fine impression. Fine colour and condition. Signed Hiroshige ga.
Status: Available
Price: £1,900
Utagawa HIROSHIGE (1797-1858)
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Station Okitsu from a set Tokaido gojusan tsugi, “The Fifty-three Stations of the Tokaido Road,” aka the Reisho Tokaido from the clerical script used in the title, or the Marusei Tokaido after the publisher Maruya Seijiro (Marusei) who published the set 1847-52. The Kiyomi Barrier and Seiken Temple near Okitsu.
Very fine impression. Fine colour and condition. Signed Hiroshige ga.
Status: Available
Price: £1,800
Utagawa HIROSHIGE (1797-1858)
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Station Ejiri from a set Tokaido gojusan tsugi, “The Fifty-three Stations of the Tokaido Road,” aka the Reisho Tokaido from the clerical script used in the title, or the Marusei Tokaido after the publisher Maruya Seijiro (Marusei) who published the set 1847-52. Located on the west side of Suruga Bay, close to the famous beauty spot of Miho no Matsubara.
Very fine impression. Fine colour and condition. Signed Hiroshige ga.
Status: Available
Price: £1,500
Utagawa HIROSHIGE (1797-1858)
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Station Fuchu from a set Tokaido gojusan tsugi, “The Fifty-three Stations of the Tokaido Road,” aka the Reisho Tokaido from the clerical script used in the title, or the Marusei Tokaido after the publisher Maruya Seijiro (Marusei) who published the set 1847-52. A night scene with travellers arriving at an inn. This was the largest post town on the Tokaido and served as the castle town for Sumpu Castle, the seat of the Tokugawa clan.
Very fine impression. Fine colour and condition. Signed Hiroshige ga.
Status: Available
Price: £2,000
Utagawa HIROSHIGE (1797-1858)
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Station Kanbara from a set Tokaido gojusan tsugi, “The Fifty-three Stations of the Tokaido Road,” aka the Reisho Tokaido from the clerical script used in the title, or the Marusei Tokaido after the publisher Maruya Seijiro (Marusei) who published the set 1847-52. Kanbara, Fujikawa funawatashi, “Kanbara, Ferryboat on the Fuji River.”
Very fine impression. Fine colour and condition. Signed Hiroshige ga.
Status: Available
Price: £1,800
Keisai EISEN (1790-1848)
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Jakko Nunobiki no taki, “The Hanging Cloth Waterfall at Jakko Shrine.” So-called because it falls in seven-tiers. The shrine is seen below the fall. From a set of five prints: It was probably intended to be a set of three prints but another two were added, possibly with the intention of going on to emulate Hokusai’s waterfall set. Nikkosan meisho no uchi, “Celebrated Views in the Nikko Mountains.” Published by Yamamotoya Heikichi (Eikyudo) c. 1843-47. In contrast to Hokusai’s set, Eisen’s have a more muscular appearance. See: The Japanese Print: A New Approach, J. Hillier, Bell & Son, 1960, Chapter XVI, where Jack Hillier discusses Eisen and his landscapes and considers this set “… is perhaps the crowning achievement of his career as a designer of landscape prints.”
Fine impression. (Late impressions are not known of this set, probably due to not having the popularity of Hokusai’s set.) Slight fading, otherwise very good colour. Very good condition. Signed Keisai Eisen utsusu.
Status: Available
Price: £6,800
Keisai EISEN (1790-1848)
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The Kirifuri waterfall, Kirifuri no taki, santaki no sono ikkei, “The Falling Mist Waterfall, View of One of the Three Falls.” From a set Nikkosan meisho no uchi, “Celebrated Views in the Nikko Mountains.” A group of travellers admire the fall from below. From a set of five prints: It was probably intended to be a set of three prints but another two were added, possibly with the intention of going on to emulate Hokusai’s waterfall set. Published by Yamamotoya Heikichi (Eikyudo) c. 1843-47. In contrast to Hokusai’s set, Eisen’s have a more muscular appearance. See: The Japanese Print: A New Approach, J. Hillier, Bell & Son, 1960, Chapter XVI, where Jack Hillier discusses Eisen and his landscapes and considers this set “… is perhaps the crowning achievement of his career as a designer of landscape prints.”
Fine impression. (Late impressions are not known of this set, probably due to not having the popularity of Hokusai’s set.) Very good colour and condition. Signed Keisai Eisen utsusu.
Status: Available
Price: £9,000
Tsukioka YOSHITOSHI (1839-1892)
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A triptych showing horse racing in Tokyo. Tokyo Shokonsha [the original name of the Yasukuni Shrine] naigaijin keiba no zu, “Horse Racing for Foreigners and Japanese in Shokonsha Tokyo.” From Tokyo kaika kyoga meisho, “Comic Pictures of Civilised Tokyo.” Published by Maruya Jinpachi (Marujin) 1871. The first Western-style horse racing was established by – mainly British – residents in the form of the Yokohama Race Club in 1862.
Fine impression: Later states lack the wood-pattern background on the title panel. Fine colour and condition. Signed Oju Keisai Yoshitoshi.
Status: Available
Price: £2,200
Utagawa KUNIYOSHI (1797-1861)
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A poem by the celebrated poet Minamoto no Shigeyuki from the series Hyakunin isshu no uchi, “One Hundred Poems for One Hundred Poets” which was compiled in 1235 by Fujiwara Teika (1162-1241). Shows the poet on a craggy outcrop with waves crashing around him; Fuji in the distance. One of the best designs in the set published by Ebisuya Shoshichi, Ebine, 1840-42. Only 58 of the 100 are known. Various translations of the poem exist, here is one:
Waves that beat against the rocks
Fanned by a fierce wind –
It is I alone
Who breaks, those times
When I think of her
Very fine impression. Fine colour and condition. Signed Ichiyusai Kuniyoshi ga. Hiroshige ga.
Status: Available
Price: £4,200
Utagawa KUNIYOSHI (1797-1861)
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A poem by the celebrated poet Bunya no Yasuhide from the series Hyakunin isshu no uchi, “One Hundred Poems for One Hundred Poets” which was compiled in 1235 by Fujiwara Teika (1162-1241). The poet in the background watches as a fierce wind blows away some of the umbrellas that are being made. One of the best designs in the set published by Ebisuya Shoshichi, Ebine, 1840-42. Only 58 of the 100 are known. Various translations of the poem exist, here is one:
The mountain wind in autumn time
Is well called “hurricane”;
It hurries canes and twigs along,
And whirls them o’er the plain
To scatter them again
Very fine impression. Fine colour. Slight nibbling of border but otherwise fine condition. Signed Ichiyusai Kuniyoshi ga.
Status: Available
Price: £2,500
Utagawa HIROSHIGE (1797-1858)
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Sumidagawa hazakura no kei, “Cherry Trees along the Sumida River” from a Toto meisho “Famous Places in the Eastern Capital” set of ten prints published c 1831-2 by Kawaguchiya Shozo. Hiroshige’s first landscape set. The first editions, as here, have decorative borders adding a western element into the design. These were removed on later editions. There are also variant states with different shading. Rare.
Fine impression and colour. Backed, otherwise very good condition. Prints from this set are often missing or have the publisher’s name and address on the right border trimmed. Signed Ichiyusai Hiroshige ga. (The last set to be signed like this.)
Status: Available
Price: £5,800
Utagawa HIROSHIGE II (1826-1869)
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The Dragon’s Maw Mountain, Bizen Province, Bizen tatsu-no-kuchiyama from Shokoku meisho hyakkei, “Hundred Views of Famous Places in the Provinces.” An uncompleted set of 81 prints published by Uoya Eikichi between 1859-1861 (this being 1861). Shows a lone figure battling a heavy rainstorm in a steep-sided canyon.
Superb impression of the first edition. Fine colour and condition. Signed Hiroshige ga.
Status: Available
Price: £4,900
Utagawa HIROSHIGE II (1826-1869)
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Mino Ochiai-bashi. Mino (Noshu) Province from Shokoku meisho hyakkei, “Hundred Views of Famous Places in the Provinces.” An uncompleted set of 81 prints published by Uoya Eikichi between 1859-1861 (this being 1861). An evening rain scene with figures making their way across the torrential Chitose River, famous for its fishing.
Superb impression of the first edition. Fine colour and condition. Signed Hiroshige ga.
Status: Available
Price: £5,800
Utagawa KUNIYOSHI (1797-1861)
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A poem by the celebrated poet and monk Noin-hoshi from the series Hyakunin isshu no uchi, “One Hundred Poems for One Hundred Poets” which was compiled in 1235 by Fujiwara Teika (1162-1241). A group of travellers are caught in a torrential downpour. One of the best designs in the set published by Ebisuya Shoshichi, Ebine, 1840-42. Only 58 of the 100 are known. Various translations of the poem exist, here is one:
The maples and leaves
Of Mount Mimura –
Making the Tatsuta River
A fine brocade
Very fine impression. Fine colour. Slight nibbling on one margin, otherwise fine condition. Signed Ichiyusai Kuniyoshi ga.
Status: Available
Price: £2,200
Utagawa HIROSHIGE II (1829-1869)
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Nikko Shimofuri no taki, “Shimofuri Waterfall in Nikko” from Shokoku meisho hyakkei, “Hundred Views of Famous Places in the Provinces.” An uncompleted set of 81 prints published by Uoya Eikichi between 1859-1861 (this being 1859).
Fine impression, colour and condition. Signed Hiroshige ga.
Status: Available
Price: £4,200
Ichiryusai HIROSHIGE (1797-1858)
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Fuchu from The Fifty-three Stations of the Tokaido published by Marusei, Maruya Seijiro, 1847-52. Called the Reisho Tokaido because of the angular style of Kanji used. Travellers coming and going at the entrance to the station. One of the best designs from the set. Provenance: Ex Hayashi collection with seal below title cartouche.
Fine impression and colour. Very good condition. Signed Hiroshige ga.
Status: Available
Price: £1,900
Utagawa HIROSHIGE II (1826-1869)
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Enshu Akiba enkei Fukuroi tako. Fukuroi, Enshu (Totomi) Province from the “Hundred Views of Famous Places in the Provinces.” An uncompleted set of 81 prints published by Uoya Eikichi between 1859 – 1861 (this being 1859). Shows kite flying with a distant view of Mount Akiba. It has been suggested that the release of confetti was to bring good luck for the forthcoming harvest.
Very fine impression of the first edition. Fine colour. Very slight soil, otherwise fine condition. Signed Hiroshige ga.
Status: Available
Price: £3,800
Utagawa HIROSHIGE (1797-1858)
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Tango, Ama no hashidate, “Tango [Province], Ama no hashidata” from Rokujuyoshu meisho zu, “Famous Views of the Sixty-odd Provinces” published by Koshimuraya Heisuke in 1853-56 (this being 1853). Shows the “Heaven’s Bridge” peninsula of pine trees extending into Miyazu Bay. One of the Nihon sankei, “Three Famous Views of Japan.”
ga.
Very good impression and colour. (The success of this print depends entirely on the bokashi clouds wiped across the design: Impressions vary depending on the dexterity of the printer.) Margins trimmed, otherwise very good condition. Signed Hiroshige ga.
Status: Available
Price: £4,800