• Artist: Natalia Goncharova (July 3, 1881 – October 17, 1962). Russian/French. Lithographic illustration "An elder astride a bull" for Aleksei Kruchenykh book "Two poems. The Hermit. The Hermitess", Moscow, Kuzmin and Dolinsky Publishers, 1913. This sheet is from the book "Natalia Goncharova / Mikhail Larionov" by Eli Eganbyuri (pen-name of Ilia Zdanevich), published by Z. A. Münster in 1913. Inscription on the back: hand-written copy (allegedly by the hand of  Osip Brik) of Vladimir Mayakovsky verses for "Red Pepper" (Krasny peretz) magazine issue of 1924, included in the compilation "Ferocious laugh" (Grozny smekh) that was published after Mayakovsky death in 1931. Text of the manuscript on verso. Size: 18,5 х 14,3 cm.   Наталия Гончарова (3 июля 1881 – 17 октября 1962). Россия/Франция. Автолитография "Старец верхом на быке" для книги А. Е. Крученых "Две поэмы. Пустынники. Пустынница"; - М.: Изд. Г.Л. Кузьмина, С.Д. Долинского, 1913. Данный лист из книги Эли Эганбюри (псевдоним Ильи Зданевича) "Наталия Гончарова / Михаил Ларионов"; - М. : Изд. Ц. Мюнстера, 1913. На обороте список стихов из подписей к "Красному перцу" 1924 г., которые вошли в сб. "Грозный смех" (вышел после смерти Маяковского в 1931). Вероятно список сделан рукой Осипа Брика. Текст манускрипта.   Формат: 18,5 х 14,3 см.
    Г. Л. Кузьмин и С. Д. Долинский знамениты, в частности, тем, что в 1912 году издали футуристский манифест "Пощечина общественному вкусу". О них можно найти дополнительную информацию в статье об Л. Л. Кузьмине. Издатель Цезарь Александрович Мюнстер был сыном знаменитого русского литографа Александра Эрнестовича Мюнстера, открывшего свое литографическое заведение в Санкт-Петербурге в 1850 году. Судьба Ц. А. Мюнстера и его издательства после революции 1917 года мне неизвестна.

    Сидят: В.В. Хлебников, Г.Л. Кузьмин, С.Д. Долинский Стоят: Н.Д. Бурлюк, Д.Д. Бурлюк, В.В. Маяковский. 1911.

     
     
  • Artist: Natalia Goncharova (July 3, 1881 – October 17, 1962). Russian/French. Lithographic illustration (frontispiece) for Sergei Bobrov book of poetry "The gardeners upon the grapevines", Moscow, Lirika Publishers, 1913. Size: 18 х 11,5 cm.
    Book was printed on May 20, 1913 for Lirika Publishers, by V. I. Voronov printshop in 500 copies, of them 50 authored and numbered. 10 lithographs by Natalia Goncharova printed at Kushneryov & Co. lithography in Moscow.
    Наталия Гончарова (3 июля 1881 – 17 октября 1962). Россия/Франция. Литографическая иллюстрация (фронтиспис) к книге С. П. Боброва "Вертоградари над лозами" [Сергей Бобров. М.: /Лирика, 1913]. Формат: 18 х 11,5 см.
    Тираж 500 экз, из них 50 авторизованных и нумерованных. Десять цветных рисунков работы Н. Гончаровой исполнены в технике литографии на отдельных листах. Книга отпечатана 20 мая 1913 года в типографии В.И. Воронова для книгоиздательства «Лирика». В мягкой издательской обложке. На с. 162 после списка литографий: Отпечатаны литографией т-ва И.Н. Кушнерев и К° в Москве.
     
  • Artist: Mikhail Larionov (June 3, 1881 – May 10, 1964) ). Russian/French. Lithographic illustration "Woman in a hat" for Aleksei Kruchenykh book "Lipstick", Moscow, Kuzmin and Dolinsky Publishers, 1913, 480 copies printed. Size: 11,3 х 8,2 cm. Михаил Ларионов (3 июня 1881 – 10 мая 1964). Россия/Франция. Литографическая иллюстрация "Женщина в шляпе" к книге Алексея Крученых "Помада"; М.: Изд. Г.Л. Кузьмина и С.Д. Долинского, 1913, отпечатана в 480 экз. Формат: 11,3 х 8,2 см.
  • Richard Parkes Bonington (1802–1828 ). British/French. Evreux: Tour du Gros Horloge (Evreux: Large Clock Tower). Inscription: The tower was built in 1417 when the area was ruled by England. Lithograph. From the Taylor and Nodier set "Normandie", Vol. II, pl. 226. 1824. MET# 22.87.2. Catalogue Raisonné: Curtis 1939, no. 19. MET description: "This view in the French town of Evreux focuses on the clock tower, with vendors and customers in the street below. Bonington produced the print for the multi-volume series directed by Baron Isidore Taylor, Charles Nodier and Alphonse de Cailleux titled "Voyages Pittoresques et Romantiques dans l'Ancienne France" (Picturesque and Romantic Travels through Historic France). This image appears in volume 2, devoted to Normandy."
  • Evening Snow on Mount Hira (Hira no bosetsu), from the series Eight Views of Ōmi in Modern Guise (Ryaku Ōmi hakkei, (略近江八景). About 1773–75 (An'ei 2–4). Artist: Isoda Koryūsai (Japanese, 1735–1790) CATALOGUE RAISONNÉ: Hockley 2003, p. 202, #F-21-1 DIMENSIONS: Vertical chûban; 26 x 19.3 cm (10 1/4 x 7 5/8 in.)
    Signed: Koryû ga [湖竜画]
  • This print was sold to me with the following description:  "Ikkansai EISHO (Fl. early 19th c.). A portrait of the wrestler Kuroyanagi Matsujiro, ring name Kumagatake Inosuke. Eisho was a pupil of Eishi. Published c. 1820s by Uoya Eikichi. Signed Shunsai Eisho ga." As a result of our joint effort with my beloved sister, we have so far found the following: The artis is mentioned in The Hotei Encyclopedia of Japanese Woodblock Prints, 2005, Vol 2; p. 438 under the name of Harukawa Eichō. From this source we learned that the artist was active from about 1818 till 1844, and was a print designer in Kyoto. He was a student first of Harukawa Goshichi and later studied in Edo (Tokyo) with Keisai Eisen, when he assumed the art name 'Eichō'. Other names: Shunsai. The Japanese web page dedicated to Harukawa Eichō provides more details: The artist lived from the 4th year of Tenmei ( 1784 ) to the first year of Kaei ( 1848 ). He was a student of Harukawa Goshichi, Kikukawa Eizan as well as of Keisai Eisen. His popular name was Kamenosuke. He was from Kyoto. He took "gagō" (artistic names) of Eishō when he was a student of Harukawa Goshichi; later, when he became a student of Kikukawa Eizan and Keisai Eisen he took the name of Kikukawa Eichō. The artist was mostly known for his bijinga (beautiful women) prints as well as kanazōshi illustrations. Nothing is said anywhere about his sumo prints, though the reference to another Kyushu sumo wrestler portrait has been found. The sumo wrestler Kuroyanagi Matsujiro is also a somewhat obscure figure: information about his life and career is quite inconsistent. It may so happened that two different persons were combined together. Wikipedia page about Aoi Aso Jinja, a Shinto shrine in Hitoyoshi in Kumamoto prefecture, tells us the following:
    Kuroki Matsujiro (黒木松次郎) was born in the village of Itsuki in Kuma district, Kumamoto prefecture, island of Kyushu in Bunka era, 4th year (1807). Since from his childhood he was blessed by great physique and tough strength. He had affection for sumo. At the age of 18 he became a sumo student of Kumamoto Shimakawa Ikuhei and took the name of Toyama Hidekichi (遠山日出吉). At the age of 23 (1830), he entered sumo stables in Kyoto, mastered the art of taming of young horses, and his talents improved. At the age of 31 he went to Edo, and became a disciple of the ōzeki Oitekaze Kitaro of Hirado domain in Hizen province, also from Kyushu island. After that, he changed his name and became Kuroyanagi Matsujiro (黒柳松次郎 – as on the print). In 1847 (Bunka era, 4th year) he distinguished himself by advancing to the first grade, and at the age of 32 he was promoted to ozeki level, becoming sekitori. After changing his name to Kuma-ga-take Inosuke (熊ヶ嶽猪之介 / くまがたけいのすけ) he displayed further efforts, and became one of the strongmen that fermented sumo wrestling in Edo.  In 1853 (Kaei era, 6th year) he retired and returned to his village, becoming an employee as a strongman of Sagara domain (相良藩), and worked hard as instructor of the sumo training hall to train successors until 1855 (Ansei era, 2nd year) when he passed away at the age of 48. Even today Kuma-ga-take's home exists in Itsukimura (his native village). Also, on those grounds a descendant of Kuma-ga-take runs minshuku (guest house) that bears the name of "The Kuroki Pension (lodging) "and tourists come to visit from various parts of Japan. In 2015, tenth month, within the borders of Aoi Aso Shrine there was built a gravestone publicly honoring Kuma-ga-take Inosuke, sumo wrestler from Edo / of Edo period.
    This information has some inconsistencies already. If our hero was born in 1807 and promoted to ōzeki at the age of 32, it should have been the year 1839, not 1847. I found Kumagatake Isuke at "Sumo Reference" website:
    Highest Rank Maegashira 4
    Real Name Kuroki
    Birth Date 1815
    Shusshin Kumamoto-ken, Kuma-gun
    Death Date March 6, 1855 (40 years)
    Heya Oitekaze
    Shikona Kuroyanagi Matsujiro - Kumagatake Isuke
    Hatsu Dohyo 1836.02 (Sandanme)
    Intai 1853.02
    The real name is the same, the ring name Kuroyanagi Matsujiro is the same, however, the date of birth here is 1815.  He fought from 1836 till 1853 - which is quite similar to "At the age of 31 he went to Edo, and became a disciple of the ōzeki Oitekaze Kitaro". Though, in 1836 he might be 29 years old. His bouts are listed from spring 1841 to spring 1848 under the name of Kuroyanagi and from winter 1848 till spring 1853 he listed under the name of Kumagatake Isuke [Inosuke].

    On another important sumo history website, I found that Kuroyanagi first appeared at ring in the spring of 1823 (he might have been 16 years old then, which does not seem right). Then, in the winter tournament of 1848 Kuroyanagi took the name Kumagatake. At the spring tournament of 1853 Kumagatake (Kuroyanagi) retired. This is quite consistent so far.

    Then, I found Oitekaze Kitaro, allegedly the teacher of Kuroyanagi.
    Highest Rank Ozeki
    Real Name SATO Matsujiro (Matsutaro#)
    Birth Date 1799
    Shusshin Kanagawa-ken, Tsukui-gun
    Death Date May 4, 1865 (66 years)
    Heya Oitekaze
    Shikona Kuroyanagi Matsujiro - Kuroyanagi Sumiemon - Oitekaze Kitaro
    Hatsu Dohyo 1817.10 (Jonokuchi)
    Intai 1839.03
    Everything look good with an exception of ring names (shikona): Kuroyanagi Matsujiro (1823-1828) - Kuroyanagi Sumiemon (1829-30) - Oitekaze Kitaro (1831-1839). May it be that Sato Matsutaro fought under the name of Kuroyanagi Matsujiro until Kuroki Matsujiro took this name from his master? I don't have another explanation of the enigma. What we know is that we have a portrait of a sumo wrestler called Kuroyanagi Matsujiro from Kyushu, but we don't know whether this was the one from Kumamoto (Kumagatake Inosuke, 1807/1815-1855) or the other from Kanagawa (Oitekaze Kitaro, 1799-1865). Subsequently, we may declare that the artist is Shunsai Eishō, a.k.a.Harukawa Eichō from Eishi school (The Hotei Encyclodepdia, p. 524), we can date the print from 1818 to 1844, and only tell that the wrestler is Kuroyanagi Matsujiro from Kyushu (either Kumagatake Inosuke or Oitekaze Kitaro). The publisher of the print is Moriya Jihei (Marks №353, p. 243-5). That's it.
  • Ichikawa Ebizō III (Matsumoto Kōshirō II, Ichikawa Danjūrō IV, 1711-1778) probably shown as Shinozuka Gorō in the Shibaraku scene of the play Ōyoroi Ebidō Shinozuka, performed at the Nakamura Theater in the 11th month of 1772 (Meiwa 9). This was the occasion when he celebrated his name change, from Matsumoto Kōshirō II to Ichikawa Ebizō III. The lobster or giant shrimp (ebi) upon the Ichikawa family crest (three concentric squares - three measures of rice) on his garment underscores the fact of the name change (ebi).  
  • Katsukawa Shun'ei. Signed: Shun'ei ga (春英画). Vertical Ōban. No reference whatsoever. Unidentified play, actors, roles, year, theatre. SOLD  
  • Katsukawa Shun'ei (勝川 春英; 1762 – 1819).
    TITLE: Sawamura Sôjûrô III as Kakogawa Honzô.
    SERIES: Kanadehon Chūshingura (Kana practice book: Treasury of the loyal retainers").
    DATE: 1795
    Signed: Shun'ei ga (春英画). Publisher: Iwatoya Kisaburō, Marks 173/p.169. Vertical Ōban:  14.75 x 9.625 inch
    On 4th lunar month of 1795 Sôjûrô plays the roles of En'ya Hangan and Kakogawa Honzô in the drama "Kanadehon Chûshingura" at Miyakoza theater in Edo.
  • Kitagawa Tsukimaro (Kikumaro): 喜多川 月麿, fl. c. 1794–1836.

    Mother is playing with her child: they left playing with shadow lantern for freeing a turtle (Hojo-e, or "Rite for the Release of Living Beings").

    Signed: Tsukimaro hitsu (月麿筆); Publisher's mark; censor's seal: Kiwame + Yamaguchiya Tôbei gyōji seal (1811-14).

     
  • Mikhail Belomlinsky. Born 1934, Russia. Village, dogs. Watercolor painting on paper from Chukotka expedition, 1975. Size: 36 x 48 cm.
  • Mikhail Belomlinsky. Born 1934, Russia. Vadim Krolin, hypnosis session. Watercolor painting on paper from Chukotka expedition, ca. 1970s. Size: 36 x 48 cm.
  • Le Petit Chaperon rouge (Little Red Riding Hood), three wood engravings by Gustave Doré, 1864:  "En passant dans un bois elle rencontra compère le Loup"; "Le Chaperon rouge fut bien étonné de voir comment sa grand'mère était faite en son déshabillé"; "Cela n'empêche pas qu'avec ses gran dents il avait mangé une bonne grand'mère". Engraved by Adolphe Pannemaker. Le Petit Poucet (Little Thumb), one wood engraving by Gustave Doré, 1864: "Une bonne femme vint leur ouvrir". Engraved by Héliodore-Joseph Pisan. La Belle au bois dormant (Sleeping Beauty), one wood engraving by Gustave Doré, 1864: "Il marcha vers le château qu'il voyait au bout d'une grande avenue où il entra". Engraved by Héliodore-Joseph Pisan. Medium: Paper; Wood engraving. Illustrations for P.-J. Hetzel's edition of Perrault's Fairy Tales (Les Contes de Perrault) by Gustave Doré published in 1864. Size: frame: 428 x 302 mm; sheet: 280 x 231 mm; image: 194 x 244 mm.
  • Folio (240 x 320 mm), hardbound in blue-aubergine cloth with gilt lettering and decoration. Album with Avant-Propos and 34 hand-colored lithographs by Bertall, numbered 1 through 34. Details in Russian: "Памяти парижской коммуны".
  • Folio (246 x 321 mm), hardbound in red-brown cloth with gilt lettering and decoration. Content, Introduction by J. E., September, 1873, Artist preface by Bertall, Paris, 1871-1873. Album with 40 hand-colored lithographs by Bertall, numbered 1 through 40, accompanied with extensive descriptions. Ex Libris: Baker. Carpe Diem. Markings: Janny M. Baker with J.L.B. Love, 19 March, 1878 in black ink.
  • Unbound Quatro (246 x 321 mm) album in softcover with inscription:

    В память Парижской коммуны. 18 мар. 1871 - 18 мар. 1921. L. Типы комунаров по наброскам современника. Под ред. Л. Никулина. "Памятник нерукотворный мы можем поставить героям-коммунарам, освободив весь мир от ига капитала." Г. Зиновьев.

    Надписано от руки: Экз. тов. Крупской.

    17 отпечатков с измененных литографий Берталя (без ссылки). Издание Политотдела Балтийского Флота и Петроградского губ. Отд. народн. Образования. Петроград.

    Translation from Russian: In memory of the Paris Commune. March 18, 1871 - March 18, 1921. (L*). Types of the communards from the sketches of contemporaries. Edited by L. Nikulin. "Not-made-by-hand monument we will erect to the heroic Communards by freeing the world from the yoke of capital". G. Zinoviev Handwritten inscription in black ink: Copy of (or for) comrade Krupskaya. The album consists of 17 unnumbered prints with captions in Russian. The prints are altered images made by Bertall, with no reference to the artist. The album is published by Political division of Baltic Navy and Petrograd district of public education. Printed in Petrograd (Saint Petersburg).   *Roman letter L - Fifty (Fifty year anniversary)  
  • С. Маршак. Почта военная. Детиздат : Ленинград, 1947.

    Hard-bound Quatro (304 x 246 mm) printed in lithography with hand-colored details on cover.

    The name of artist hardly legible on a stamp on frontispiece: скворцов.

    The text repeats itself on multiple pages. Most probably the book is a pilot run, never went to mass printing and distribution.
  • Engraved title page: ILLUSTRATION | OF | TIME. | GEORGE CRUIKSHANK. | "THERE IS A TIME FOR ALL THINGS". | TEMPUS EDAX RERUM. | LONDON | Published May 1st 1827 by the Artist - 22 Myddelton Terrace Pentonville. - Sold by Js. Robins & Co. Ivy Lane Paternoster Row.

    Oblong folio, 33.5 x 44 cm. Engraved vignette title page and six not-coloured engraved plates with multiple images showing thirty-five humorous scenes.

    First edition, first issue. Uncoloured. Pristine condition.

    Half-leather bound in marbled cardboard and red morocco and gild lettering and arabesque. Frontispiece and 6 plates with protective tissues.

    Content:

    1. Time-Called & Time-Come (five sketches)

    2. Behind Time (seven sketches)

    3. Time Thrown Away (six sketches)

    4. Hard Times [&] Term Time (five sketches)

    5. Time Badly Employed (five sketches)

    6. Christmas Time (seven sketches)

    British Museum № 1978,U.3026.1. BM description: "Frontispiece, the title on a background of symmetrical but dilapidated and grass-grown masonry. On the summit stands a little laughing gnome, with a wide hat and a body formed of an hour-glass; Inset is an oval bordered by a serpent with its tail in its mouth (emblem of eternity), in which is an aged and all-devouring Time (bald except for a forelock), seated behind a table whose surface is the base of the design. He puts to his mouth a fork on which is speared an elephant with a castle on its back containing tiny figures with spears. In his r. hand is a spoon containing a country church. His table is covered with dishes, and at his r. hand is a sickle. The central and biggest dish is heaped with a jumble of tiny objects: crown, table, chair, wheelbarrow, picture; round the room sit little figures: a soldier, parson, lady and child, &c. The ten other dishes contain: an antique glass coach with horses and footmen; an overladen camel beside a palm-tree; ruins of a castle; a farmhouse; a shepherd and sheep; a dismantled cannon and balls, cattle, a man-of-war in full sail; a ruinous Gothic cathedral; a clump of trees (the last two are dominated by a large decanter). Below Time are two (Egyptian) pyramids. Above: 'There Is A Time For All Things'; below: 'Tempus Edax Rerum'. 1 May 1827. Etching."
    Bibliography:
    • Reid, G W, A descriptive catalogue of the works of George Cruikshank, London, 1871.
    • Stephens, Frederic George; George, Mary Dorothy, Catalogue of Political and Personal Satires in the Department of Prints and Drawings in the British Museum, 11 vols, London, BMP, 1870.
    • Cohn, A M, George Cruikshank, catalogue raisonné, London, 1924.