Kawase Hasui (1883-1957)
Spring in Daigo, Kyoto
Date: 1950.
Publisher: Watanabe Shozaburo. Black 6 mm seal at lower right, indicating a first edition (1946-57).
Hasui signature and seal at lower left.
Size: Oban. 15.25 x 10.5 inches.
Reference: Hotei #537.
Medium: Japanese woodblock print.
Condition: At the perimeter of the verso, a conservator has removed tape and reinforced the paper.

Antique Japanese cast copper jizai okimono of an articulated cricket. Small, articulated metal figures of this type are called jizai okimono (literally "free decorative object"). They typically have moveable bodies, arms, legs. Each copper section of this okimono is finely cast, depicting a natural realism, a style that was prominent during the Meiji Period. All six legs, wings and both long antennas are movable. The base of the cricket is signed: Zaodo.

Provenance: British privat...

Takahashi Shotei (Hiroaki)
Teahouse in the Night
Size: Mitsugiri-ban. Approximately 15.0 x 6.625 inches.
Date: pre-1936.
Artist's seal at lower right.
Publisher: Watanabe Shozaburo.
No. 564 in 1936 Watanabe catalog. M-57 in Shotei catalog.
Medium: Japanese woodblock print.
Condition: Excellent.

Takahashi Shotei (Hiroaki)
Cormorant Island, Lake Kawaguchi (Kawaguchiko Unoshima)
Size: Oban. Approximately 15.5 x 10.25 inches.
Date: ca 1929.
Hiroaki signature and Shotei seal at lower left.
Publisher: Fusui Gabo. Seal at lower right margin.
Reference: Shotei catalog #O-80.
Medium: Japanese woodblock print.
Condition: Toning and light foxing. The lighter spots near upper corners appear to be old repairs of thinned paper.
This very rare design was o...

Ito Yuhan
Watercolor Painting
Depicting a footbridge above a waterfall.
Date: 1930s.
Size: 13.25 x 9.75 inches.
Signed "Y. Ito" at lower left
Condition: Brilliant color. The top back has paper residue. A couple of very faint foxing marks in upper left corner.
Ito Yuhan is known for his woodblock prints that have a watercolor-like appearance.