Muto Katei (b. 1910)
Engakuji Temple in Kamakura
Publisher: Watanabe Shozaburo. Bears the Watanabe 6mm seal, indicating an early edition.
Date: 1954
Size: Oban: Approximately 15.5 x 10.5 inches.
Condition: Pristine. Never displayed. Removed from original folder for archival storage.
Muto Katei studied printmaking under Kawase Hasui.
The unusual color palette works beautifully in this image.

Tsuchiya Koitsu
Fishing Boat Returning at Sunset, Yabase, 1933.
Publisher: Watanabe Shozaburo. Bears the round 6mm seal. This seal was used between 1946 and 1957.
Size: Oban. Approximately 15.5 x 10.5 inches.
Condition: Pristine. Never displayed. Removed from original presentation folder for archival storage.
A rarely seen work.

Toshi Yoshida (1911~1995)
Depicting: Night snow scene
Print size: 5.5 x 4.0 inches.
A woodblock print tipped at the top to a Japanese Christmas card from the 1950s.
Bears the Yoshida seal.
Condition: Light foxing at roof on left. Inside of card has tears.

Charles W. Bartlett
Ushibuse (aka. Sleeping Buddah)
Date: 1916
Size: Oban. approximately 14.75 x 9.75.
Signed in red by Bartlett. Monogrammed and well-sealed.
Very good condition. On the verso, so thinning of paper in sky and top and bottom margin. A few small light brown spots.

Rare Artist's Proof by Japanese Woodblock Print Artist, Gen Yamaguchi (1896 - 1976): Poetry of Early Autumn (1948). Illustrated in Yamaguchi, pl. 61. This is the artist's proof of this image, created for the artist's approval before the set of fifty prints were created. Yamaguchi achieved an international reputation when he was awarded first prize at the International Print Biennale in Ljubljana, Yugoslavia, 1957, and a grand prix at Lugano, Switzerland in 1958...

Rare Image by Japanese Woodblock Print Artist, Saito Kiyoshi (1907 - 1997). The Saito Kiyoshi Museum in Japan is devoted entirely to the work of this artist, and his work is in many other museums, including the Cincinnati Art Museum, the Philadelphia Museum of Art, and the Art Institute of Chicago. His work was exhibited at the Salon Printemps in 1948, and in 1951 he received first prize at the inaugural Sao Paolo Bienniale...

Kawase Hasui
Temple in Snow
Date: ca 1930s.
Publisher: Watanabe Shozaburo.
Size: 7.25 x 5.0 inches.
Condition: Excellent. Tipped at top edge to original sheet.
This print does not appear in Kawase Hasui: The Complete Woodblock Prints. We could find only one other example.

Kawase Hasui
Winter Moon Over Toyama Plain, 1931
Publisher: Doi Hangaten.
Carver/printer: Harada/Yokoi. This seal combination indicates an early post-war edition. Its pre-war use has also been widely debated.
Size: Oban. Approximately 15.5 x 10.5 inches.
Condition: Slight ripple at top margin. Otherwise excellent.

Japanese Edo period woodblock print by Toyokuni III (also known as Kunisada), depicting a heavily tattoed actor Ichikawa Danjuro VIII in the role of Omatsuri Sashichi in a scene from kabuki theater. The cartouche at the upper right holds the series and image title "Mitate Tsuki Zukushi: Musashi no Tsuki" (Collection of the Full Moon Parodied: The Moon over Musashi)...

Toshi Yoshida (1911~1995)
Depicting: Snowy street
Print size: 5.5 x 3.75 inches.
A woodblock print tipped at the top to a Japanese Christmas card from 1953.
Bears the Yoshida seal.
Condition: Excellent.

Japanese woodblock print triptych of swimming turtles and fish with actor mons and human faces by Yoshu Chikanobu (1838-1912) dated 5th month of Meiji 19 (1886). The convention of disguising portraits of actors arose in the Edo period when bust portraits of actors were banned, through the Tempo Reforms of 1841-1843, for being conspicuous and a detriment to public morality. Each panel measures about 14"V x 9 1/8"H. The print is in good overall condition with fading evident...

An original color woodblock print in the oban size by the Japanese Sosaku Hanga artist Kiyoshi Saito (1907 - 1997). Unlimited, dating from the 1960's. Hand signed in black ink and sealed. Condition: fine, very good impression and color. Dimension: image: 26 cm x 38.7 cm, paper: 29.3 cm x 43.7 cm.

An original color woodblock print in the oban size by the Japanese Sosaku Hanga artist Kiyoshi Saito (1907 - 1997). Unlimited, dating from the 1960's. Hand signed in white ink and sealed. Condition: fine, very good impression and color. Dimension: image: 25.9 cm x 38.6 cm, paper: 29.3 cm x 43.8 cm.

Japanese Meiji period woodblock print depicting William Howard Taft viewing a sumo match during his 1905 diplomatic mission to Japan. With Taft weighing in at over 300 lbs., this print is likely offering a subtle comparison between Taft and the wrestler. This print is unsigned and undated. 14 3/4"V x 10 3/8"H. Very good color and impression quality. Good overall condition with pigment transference at the upper left corner, some minor soiling, and a few small holes and thinned areas...

Rare Edo period Japanese namazu-e (earthquake fish picture) woodblock print featuring a giant human-like catfish receiving punishment after being found guilty by a judge for causing the Ansei earthquake of 1855. A group of human-like catfish watch as the punishment is being meted out. In Japanese mythology, it was believed that giant catfish living underground caused earthquakes with their thrashing movements...

Kawase Hasui
Moon at Nakanoshima, Sapporo 1933
Size: Oban. Approximately 15.25 x 10.25 inches.
Publisher: Watanabe Shozaburo. Bears the 7 mm seal, indicating a printing between 1957 and 1989.
Condition: Unframed. Very good. Slight toning and professionally reinforced left margin.
- A rare appearance of a horse in a Hasui print.

Oversized, humorous Japanese limited edition woodblock print by Clifton Karhu (1927-2007) depicting the smiling, cross-eyed artist standing under a torn umbrella in the rain holding a broken shoe. This print illustrates the Zen saying “Hibi kore kojitsu” (Every day is a good day). The print is pencil-signed, titled “Every Day,” dated ’88, and numbered 57/100 in the lower margin. Paper size: 25 1/8”V x 9 1/8”H (image about 23 1/2” x 7 7/8”)...

Rare Edo period Japanese namazu-e (earthquake fish picture) woodblock print featuring a giant human-like catfish playing a samisen beside an oni (demon) who is seated casually reading a book. In Japanese mythology, it was believed that giant catfish living underground caused earthquakes with their thrashing movements. A series of namazu-e were published anonymously in Japan shortly after the Ansei earthquake hit Edo (now Tokyo) in 1855...