Utagawa Hiroshige Hodogaya -Shinmachi Bridge (Hodogaya -Shinmachi-bashi, 保土ヶ谷 新町橋)

I was browsing around on eBay and came across a listing for a "Meiji era painting" with a starting bid of $1 and free shipping, and, well, I ended up actually winning the auction for $1 shipped.

I'm happy to have it in my collection as a piece of wall art, and after framing it with a matte, the little torn off bit isn't even visible.  Fortunately for me I had no other bidders to compete with, enabling me to snatch it up for a mere $1.

I initially thought it was a Japanese woodblock print by Utagawa Hiroshige of No. 5 in the series The Fifty-Three Stations of the Tokaido (Tokaido gojusantsugi no uchi)., titled Hodogaya -Shinmachi Bridge (Hodogaya -Shinmachi-bashi, 保土ヶ谷 新町橋 ) which was originally published by Takenouchi Magohachi (Hoeido) in 1832/33 , however, comparing this "print" to known originals, I see many differences in the image as well as the calligraphy and seals, so it's definitely a reproduction created from different carved blocks, perhaps as an item sold to tourists.  It shows a lot of age, so it appears to be an older reproduction.

I'm used to woodblock prints being on paper, so I'm quite puzzled by the fact that this is printed on some form of linen or fabric, but what's even more puzzling is the fact that the roofs of the houses, the brick walls, the trees, even the people's clothing, all have this velvet like feel to them, and I'm not sure what that's called nor what the process is, etc, so if you know something about this, please comment and let me know.

Here is it matted and framed:

Here's some close up detail photos:

Japanese Woodblock Print: Blossoms on Asuka Hill by Keisai Eisen 渓斎 英泉

Original Japanese ukiyo-e woodblock print by Keisai Eisen 渓斎 英泉 ,
original Edo period nishiki-e ukiyo-e woodblock print in the bijinga genre.

The print is Blossoms on Asuka Hill (Asukayama no hana), from the series Matches for the Cherry Blossoms at Famous Places (Mitate meisho sakura tsukushi), by Keisai Eisen 渓斎 英泉 (1790–1848), Published in Edo period Japan, 1830, publisher seal Maruya Jinpachi (Marujin, Enjudô).  The aratame, I believe says Kaiin: Kyoku 改印: 極

The print shows signs of age, but overall is in pretty good shape for a 184 year old print.  The back has somebody's notation marked in red pencil 11818 Gela, possibly a collection reference # or other form of ownership marking.   There is also another notation written in light and faded pencil that I can not make out or read.   The paper itself shows some light foxing, acid burn, etc as well as a small hole, most likely due to improper framing, care & display, otherwise it's in very good condition.    The print was in a frame for so long that the backing of the frame shows lines of the print and although I know absolutely nothing whatsoever about antique picture frames, my assumption is that it's an original frame from Edo period Japan.

Keisai Eisen (渓斎 英泉, 1790 – 1848) was a Japanese ukiyo-e artist who specialized in bijinga (pictures of beautiful women). His best works, including his ōkubi-e ("large head pictures"), are considered to be masterpieces of the "decadent" Bunsei Era (1818–1830). He was also known as Ikeda Eisen, and wrote under the name of Ippitsuan.

Eisen was born in Edo into the Ikeda family, the son of a noted calligrapher. He was apprenticed to Kanō Hakkeisai, from whom he took the name Keisai, and after the death of his father he studied under Kikugawa Eizan. His initial works reflected the influence of his mentor, but he soon developed his own style.

He produced a number of surimono (prints that were privately issued), erotic prints, and landscapes, including The Sixty-nine Stations of the Kiso Kaidō, which he started and which was completed by Hiroshige. However, his most famous works are the bijin-e (pictures of beautiful women) which portrayed the subjects as more worldly than those depicted by earlier artists, replacing their grace and elegance with a less studied sensuality. He produced many portraits and full-length studies depicting the fashions of the time.

In addition to producing a prolific number of prints, he was a writer, producing biographies of the Forty-seven Ronin and several books, including a continuation of the Ukiyo-e Ruiko (History of Prints of the Floating World), a book which documented the lives of the ukiyo-e artists. His supplement is known as "Notes of a Nameless Old Man." He describes himself as a dissolute hard-drinker and claims to have been the owner of a brothel in Nezu in the 1830s which had burned down.

For Sale.  $500 usd /obo + shipping & insurance

Jihei of Kamiya Eloping with Koharu of Kinokuniya by Kitagawa Utamaro - 喜多川 歌麿 - 実競色乃美名家見＿紙屋次兵衛・紀ノ国屋小春

Title: Jihei of Kamiya Eloping with Koharu of Kinokuniya,
( Jitsu kurabe iro no minakami: Kamiya Jihei, Kinokuniya Koharu )
Courtesan Kamiya Jihei and Kinokuniya Koharu,
from the series True Feelings Compared: The Founts of Love ( Jitsu kurabe iro no minakami ),
Late Edo period, circa 1798-1799
実競色乃美名家見＿紙屋次兵衛・紀ノ国屋小春
Artist: Kitagawa Utamaro 喜多川 歌麿1753 – 31 October 1806)

Unfortunately mine is not an original Utamaro woodblock print, but a reproduction, art print poster, purchased in the frame from a local framers gallery at a discounted price.  I don't know who republished this print as a poster, however, this particular find is what got me interested in Ukiyo-e in the first place.

Be wary of deceptive sellers selling fakes of this print at excessively inflated prices, such as this one on Amazon, presumably using the "print" as a means of jacking up the price on frames.

Translation by Lita Xú Líng Kelley

Tsukioka Kōgyo Nougaku Hyakuban Hagoromo - 能楽百番羽衣

Title: Nōgaku hyakuban: Hagoromo 能楽百番 羽衣 Series: One Hundred Noh Plays ( One Hundred Prints of Noh ) ワンハンドレッド能楽
Artist: Tsukioka Kōgyo (月岡 耕漁, 1869 - February 25, 1927)
Publisher: Matsuki Heikichi 松木平吉
Date: 1924
Size: ōban tate-e ,approx. 13 ⅜" X 10" trimmed.

Hagoromo 羽衣, (The Feather Mantle), is one of Japan's most performed Japanese Noh plays. Tsukioka Kōgyo's Nougaku Hyakuban Hagoromo depicts the play's principle character, Shite. a celestial maiden, wearing a kazura (a kind of wig), kazura-obi (belt for kazura), onna-basara, tenkan (celestial crown), kitsuke / surihaku (a kind of kimono with gold or silver foils), koshimaki / nuihaku (a kind of kimono with gold or silver foils and embroidery), koshi-obi (belt), a fan and a chōken.  Shite also wears several masks in Hagoromo, Zō, Wakaonna, and Ko'omote, but I'm not sure which is in this picture.   Nōgaku hyakuban was a series of 120 prints released in1923 through 1926.

Tsukioka Kōgyo (月岡 耕漁?), sometimes called Sakamaki Kōgyo (坂巻 耕漁?), (April 18, 1869 - February 25, 1927) was a Japanese artist of the Meiji period. He was a student and adopted son of Tsukioka Yoshitoshi, and also studied with Ogata Gekkō. Although Kōgyo sometimes painted other subjects, for most of his career he made pictures of Japanese noh theatre, either as large-scale paintings or colored woodblock prints. Many of the latter were published in series and sold as multi-volume sets. Some sets, such as Nōgaku zue, have been preserved as albums in their original bindings, including accordion-style bindings known as orihon, while other sets such as Nōga taikan, were issued in sewn bindings known as yamato toji. Although most bound sets belong to institutional collections, individual prints by Kōgyo can still be found through dealers specializing in Japanese prints.

Condition issues:   1 tear, 2 paper hinges, trimmed.  .

For Sale:  $1200 usd /obo + shipping & insurance

Ikkeisai Yoshiiku Genji Monogatari gojûyon jô' #12 Woodblock Print

Title: ??? 
Series: Genji Monogatari gojûyon jô ( 源氏物語 )
Artist: Ikkeisai Yoshiiku ( 歌川 芳幾, 1833 - February 6, 1904 )
Date: 1871 / ( 1872 ? )
Publisher: Yoruzuya Magobei
Size: chūban yoko-e (in:  9 ⅝" X 6 ¾ / cm. 23 ¾ X 17 ¼ )
Period: Meiji

print #12 of a chuban format series 'Genji gojûyon jô' (Folding book of the 54 chapters of the Tale of the Genji).  The series was originally issued on a oban sheet of paper that was cut in half.

The Tale of Genji (源氏物語 Genji monogatari) is a classic work of Japanese literature written by Murasaki Shikibu in the early years of the 11th century, around the peak of the Heian period and was a common subject in Japanese paintings and woodblock prints by many artists

 Condition issues:


Print has backing attached & is paper hinged to matting

Was professionally matted in frame somewhere between 1978 - 1997 by Arnould Gallery, Marblehead, Massachusetts.  Gallery affirms that matte, backing & hinges, etc used were acid free, however, can not ascertain whether or not if backing was added by them or existed on print prior to matting & framing, and if affixed prior to framing if it's acid free or not. Sealed paper backing of frame with gallery decal removed to inspect print when I purchased it.

Small hole, has fold line down center, spotting, etc  (not sure if it's been trimmed or not, but is very possible it has)

For Sale $150 usd / obo + shipping & insurance

Hiroshige II Soushu Shichiri-ga-hama Ukiyo-e Woodblock Print

Title: Soushu Shichiri-ga-hama
Artist: Hiroshige II ( 歌川広重 2, 二代 広重,1826 – October 21, 1869)
Date: January 1860 ( Censor seal: Monkey 1 )
Publisher: Yorozuya Kichibei
Size: ōban tate-e (trimmed 25.4cm x 36.83cm  / 14.5" x 10")
Period: Manen

Condition issues.  affixed to some form of cardstock backing, water? stains, margin trimmed, foxing, etc.  Framed and matted in 1970s by Quadrum Gallery, Marblehead, Massachusetts.. now dissolved.


Rare original, possible candidate for professional conservation and restoration.

For Sale: $300 usd / obo + shipping & insurance