Click here to view image full size. Saito Toshimoto nyudo Ryuhon in armour struggling with a Chinese brigand underwater. 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 14th century. But in fact the subject of this set of fifty prints 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 S62.31. One of the best designs in the set.   Fine impression and colour. Very good condition. Signed Ichiyusai Kuniyoshi ga.   Status: Available Price:  £1,450  

Click here to view image full size. Inuyama Dosetsu, one of the eight dog heroes, enveloped in a conflagration. The heroes represent a Confucian ideal or Buddhist regulation and meet various adversaries in the epic Nanso satomi hakkenden, “Biography of the Eight Dogs” written by Takizawa Bakin between 1814 and 1842. Dosetsu is gifted with magic fire and is seen here with pine sprigs wrapped in paper clenched between his teeth. The subject represents Warabi Station (seen top left) from a set Kisokaido rokujuku tsugi, “Sixty-nine Stations along the Kisokaido.” In fact, a pun on the word warabi which can also mean “straw fire.” The bales can be seen bottom right. Published by Izutsuya Shokichi 1852. The best design from the set. ga.   Fine impression and colour. Lightly backed and very slight vertical fold, otherwise very good condition. Signed Ichiyusai Kuniyoshi   Status: Available Price:  £1,400  

Click here to view image full size. An o-tanzaku print, Yugao chapter from the fifty-four chapters of Genji, the Genji Monogatari. A tenth century romance written by Murasaki Shikibu. From a set Buyu nazoraye Genji, “Heroic Comparisons for the Chapters of Genji.” In this case showing Benkei creeping up on Ushiwaka on Gojo Bridge in Kyoto. The story relates how Benkei only needs one more blade to add to the 999 he has wrenched from samurai attempting to cross the bridge in order to fashion an invincible weapon. Benkei loses the fight and becomes Yoshitsune’s loyal retainer. Published by Ibaya Sensaburo, c. 1843.   Fine impression and colour. Very good condition. Signed Cho-o-ro Kuniyoshi ga.   Status: Available Price:  £2,500    

Click here to view image full size. Ichikawa Kodanji IV as the ghost of Asakura Togo in the play Higashiyama Sakura zoshi, “The Story of Sakura of Higashiyama.” Based on historical events in 1653 with the characters’ names changed (Asakura Togo was actually Sakura Sogoro). The story tells of a village chief who was forced to witness the beheading of his sons before being crucified by the cruel samurai Lord Hotta Kozuki, after he had protested at the levy of unfair taxes. Sakura’s ghost returns to haunt Hotta’s castle. In fact the left sheet of a diptych. However, nearly always sold as a single sheet as the other side does not marry up, is undistinguished and was probably sold separately. Published by Sumiyoshi Masagoro, 1851. Beside the signature is the seal shita-uri, “low sale” meaning it was sold “under the counter” due to censorship laws prevalent at the time. This is the very rare first edition with the carver’s seal Hori Take, Yokokawa Takejiro, to the right of the publisher’s seal on the left. This was removed on later editions. One of the great ghost prints.   Fine impression, colour and condition with gum applied to the eyes (only found on the first edition).Signed Ichiyusai Kuniyoshi ga.   Status: Available Price:  £4,500  

Click here to view image full size. The general Morozumi Masakiyo, Lord of Bungo and a retainer of the Takeda Clan (Shingen of Kai Province) in a battle with the Uesugi Clan (Kenshin of Echigo Province), The wars taking place between 1553 and 1563. From a set Koetsu yusho den, “Stories of Courageous Generals of the Provinces of Echigo and Kai.” Masakiyo is shown committing suicide by inserting his sword into his mouth while being blown up by a land-mine. As with so much in Japan, the land-mine originated in China from early times. Published by Sumiyoshiya Masagoro, c 1848-9. One of the “three great deaths” of these wars.   Very good impression with extensive sprayed pigment around the exploding mine. Slight fading, otherwise very good condition. Signed Ichiyusai Kuniyoshi ga.   Status: Available Price:  £2,800  

Click here to view image full size. A triptych showing the famous battle on Gojo Bridge. The story relates how Benkei only needs one more blade to add to the 999 he has wrenched from samurai attempting to cross the bridge in order to fashion an invincible weapon. He meets Ushiwaka Maru (Minamoto no Yoshitsune’s childhood name) and challenges him to a fight on the bridge. Yoshitsune is aided by Sojobo, King of the Tengu (white-bearded in the centre) and other yamabushi tengu. Benkei loses the fight and becomes Yoshitsune’s loyal retainer. Published by Enshuya Hikobei, 1847-50. Robinson T194.   Fine impression, colour and condition. A lovely copy of this triptych. Signed Ichiyusai Kuniyoshi ga.   Status: Available Price:  £3,800  

Click here to view image full size. The poet Dainagon Tsunenobu (1016-97), seated at the window of his study having recited his most famous poem which speaks of the evening breeze in Autumn, is visited by an enormous ghost who screams a poem by the Chinese poet Bai Juyi (Jap: Hakuraten). From a set Hyakunin isshu no uchi, “One Hundred Poems by One Hundred Poets.” A compilation by the celebrated poet Fujiwara Teika in 1235. Only 58 of the set are known published by Ebine c 1840-42. A number of variant impressions exist of this design with the apparition printed either much darker or lighter, or the background darker and other minor differences. These all appear to be contemporaneous as the printers experimented. This impression appears to be the most successful. A fine design from an underrated set.   Fine impression, colour and condition. Signed Chooro Kuniyoshi ga.   Status: Available Price:  £3,800  

Click here to view image full size. A poem by the celebrated poet Oe no Chisato from the series Hyakunin isshu no uchi, “One Hundred Poems for One Hundred Poets” which was compiled in 1235 by Fujiwara Teiki (1162-1241). Shows two porters with an empty palanquin beneath a haloed moon. One of the best designs from the set. Published by Ebisuya Shoshichi, Ebine, 1840-42. Only 58 of the 100 prints are known. Various translations of the poem exist, here is one:   Looking at the moon Thoughts of a thousand things Fill me with sadness – But autumn’s dejection Does not come to me alone   Fine impression and colour. Very good condition. Signed Ichiyusai Kuniyoshi ga.   Status: Available Price:  £2,800  

Click here to view image full size. A rare early Kuniyoshi triptych, Minamoto no Yorimitsu no Shitenno tsuchigumo taiji no dzu, showing Minamoto no Yorimitsu (Raiko) and his loyal retainers: Watanabe no Tsuna, Usui no Sadamitsu, Sakata no Kintoki and Urabe no Suetake killing the giant “Earth Spider.” Numerous versions exist of this story but basically Raiko and his followers have to tackle various horrendous apparitions in a cave within the hill Kagura ga oka near Kyoto, eventually to be faced by a beautiful woman who envelops Raiko in cobwebs. He slays her and her body turns into a spider, the head being twenty-five feet long and eyes shining like the sun and moon. He cuts off the beast’s head and the carcase reveals the many bodies devoured by it. Published by Maru-ya Seijiro, c 1838. Robinson T46 and illustrated in colour, Kuniyoshi, B.W.Robinson, Phaidon 1982, plate 37.   Very good impression and colour. Minor creasing, otherwise very good condition. Signed Ichiyusai Kuniyoshi ga.Very good impression. Slight fading, otherwise good colour. Very good condition. Signed Ichiyusai Kuniyoshi ga.   Status: Available Price:  £5,800