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Artist: Utagawa Kunisada [歌川 国貞] a.k.a. Utagawa Toyokuni III [三代歌川豊国] (Japanese, 1786 – 1865). Signed: Toyokuni ga [豊国 画] in a red toshidama cartouche. Publisher: Iseya Sōemon [伊勢屋惣右衛門] (Japanese, c. 1776 – 1862), seal Marks 21-216. Double nanushi censor’s seals: Hama & Magome (1849-53). Title: Wisteria in Kameido [亀戸乃藤] (Kameido no fuji). An uncut fan print (uchiwa-e), depicting a young woman coming down Taikobashi bridge at Kameido Tenjin Shrine. -
Artist: Utagawa Kunisada [歌川 国貞], a.k.a. Utagawa Toyokuni III [三代 歌川 豊国] (Japanese, 1786 – 1865). Signed: Toyokuni ga [豊国 画] in a red toshidama cartouche Block carver: Yokokawa Takejirō [横川竹二郎] (Japanese, fl. 1845 – 1863), seal: 彫竹 – hori Take. Publisher: Ibaya Senzaburō [伊場屋仙三郎] (Japanese, fl. c. 1845 – 1847). Media: Untrimmed fan print (uchiwa-e), 230 x 295 mm. Combined date seal and kiwame censor seal: Ansei 6 (1859). Title: Princess Sotoori [衣通姫] (Sotoori-hime) – Sotoori-hime was a concubine of Emperor Ingyo (reigned AD 412-53), and one of the Three Gods of Japanese Poetry [和歌三神] (Waka sanjin). Series: Chronicles of Elegant Women [風雅女史傳] (Fūga joshiden). The sign on the torii (Shinto shrine gates) reads: Mountain king shrine [山王宮] – it is the Sannō Shrine at the Nagata Riding Grounds in Edo. A print with these gates is at MFA (Boston) # 21.9853.
Other prints from the same series in this collection:
SVJP-0343.2021 — Tamagiku:
SVJP-0400.2023 — Saiko:
Note: Special thanks to Horst Graebner, who helped decipher and understand the meaning.
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Artist: Utagawa Kunisada [歌川 国貞] a.k.a. Utagawa Toyokuni III [三代歌川豊国] (Japanese, 1786 – 1865). Publisher: Iseya Sōemon [伊勢屋惣右衛門] (Japanese, c. 1776 – 1862). Signed: Kunisada ga within a double toshidama. Date-kiwame seals: Bunsei 11 (1828). -
Artist: Utagawa Kunisada [歌川 国貞] a.k.a. Utagawa Toyokuni III [三代歌川豊国] (Japanese, 1786 – 1865). Signed: Toyokuni ga [豊国 画] in a red toshidama cartouche. Actor: Sawamura Gennosuke II [沢村源之助] (Japanese, 1802/7 – 1853); other names: Suketakaya Takasuke III, Sawamura Chōjūrō V [沢村長十郎], Sawamura Tosshō I, Sawamura Genpei I. Character: Kameya Chubei [亀屋忠兵衛] Play: Koi Bikyaku Yamato Orai [恋飛脚大和往来] Performance: Kawarasaki Theatre [河原崎座] in the 2nd month of 1851. Double nanushi censor seals: Fuku & Muramatsu, from 3rd month of Kaei 2 to 11th month of Kaei 4 (1849-51). Another fan print from the pair SVJP-0212-1.2016: Ichikawa Ebizō V as Tanbaya Onizo / Fan print, 1851.
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Artist: Utagawa Kunisada [歌川 国貞] a.k.a. Utagawa Toyokuni III [三代歌川豊国] (Japanese, 1786 – 1865). Signed: Toyokuni ga [豊国 画] in a red toshidama cartouche. Actor: Ichikawa Danjūrō VII 市川団十郎 (Japanese, 1791 – 1859); other names: Ichikawa Ebizō V, Ichikawa Hakuen II, Ichikawa Shinnosuke I. Character: Tanbaya Onizo [丹波屋鬼蔵] Play: Koi Bikyaku Yamato Orai [恋飛脚大和往来] Performance: Kawarasaki Theatre [河原崎座] in the 2nd month of 1851. Double nanushi censor seals: Fuku & Muramatsu, from 3rd month of Kaei 2 to 11th month of Kaei 4 (1849-51). Another fan print from the pair SVJP-0212-2.2016: Sawamura Chōjūrō V as Kameya Chubei.
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Artist: Utagawa Kunisada [歌川 国貞] a.k.a. Utagawa Toyokuni III [三代歌川豊国] (Japanese, 1786 – 1865). Signed: Ōju Toyokuni ga [応需豊国画], in a toshidama cartouche. Double nanushi censor seals: Mera & Murata (1846-50). Publisher: Kojimaya Jūbei [小嶋屋重兵衛] (Japanese, fl. c. 1797 – 1869). A beautiful woman, possibly a kabuki actor Iwai Hanshirō VIII [岩井半四郎] (Iwai Shijaku II, Iwai Kumesaburō III [岩井粂三郎], Iwai Hisajirō II, Japanese, 1829 – 1882), tuning the samisen on a veranda under the shining stars. The complete set of series Moon, Sun, Stars [月日星] (tsuki-hi-hoshi/boshi), three sources of light (sankō) [三光]: -
Mori Sosen (1747-1821). Two Monkeys Hanging From Branches. Hanging Scroll Painting. Ink and colour on silk. Signed: Sosen. Sealed: Sosen. -
Iron tsuba with brown patina in mokkō-gata form with woven design. Size: 72 x 67 x 5 mm. -
Seiro ehon nenju gyoji 青楼絵本年中行事 (A Picture Book of Annual Events in Yoshiwara). Block cut by: Fuji Kazumune (藤一宗). Printed by: Jakushodo Toemon (霍松堂藤右衛門). Written by: Jippensha Ikku (十返舎一九) (text, kyoka 4 & 12). Published by: Kazusaya Chusuke (上総屋忠助). Print artist: Kitagawa Utamaro (喜多川歌麿). Written by: Sandara Boshi (三陀羅法師) (kyoka 1). Workshop of: Yashiki no Katamaru (屋職堅丸). 1804 (spring); Edo. Reference: British Museum; Fine Arts Museums of San Francisco. -
Fuchi-kashira made of shakudō carved and inlaid with gold and red copper with the design of a bat and a fruit (persimmon?). Nanako surface.
Fuchi: 37 x 19 x 7 mm. Kashira: 34 x 16 x 5 mm. Main material: shakudō. Other metals: gold and copper. Surface treatment: nanako-ji. -
Signature: UnsignedFuchi-kashira with rock and boar (iwa ni inoshishi zu) motif. Inlay of precious stones or colour glass. Shakudō, gold, gemstones. Technique: Sukibori zogan kiniroe.
Fuchi: 36 x 21 x 14 mm; Weight: 22 g; Kashira: 32 x 17 x 5 mm; Weight: 8 g; Material : Shakudō; Gold; Gemstones (Chalcedony and Rose Quartz). Possibly, Owari school. -
Fuchi: 37 x 21 x 11 mm; Weight: 13 g Kashira: 34 x 16 x 6 mm ; Weight: 10 g Material : Shakudo; Gold. Signature: Unsigned Technique: Sunameji Sukibori Zogan Decoration: Nami Chidori zu (wave & plover) -
Fuchi: 38 x 22 x 12 mm. Kashira: 32 x 17 x 11 mm Main material: shakudo; surface treatment: nanako-ji; other metals: gold, shibuichi and copper; decorative technique: iroe takazogan. Signed: Nyudo Jounishi 人道 乗西 (possibly) -
Fuchi: 38 x 22 x 14 mm. Kashira: 33 x 18 x 9 mm Techniques: Usu-shishiai-bori (薄肉合彫) – low-relief, zogan. -
Fuchi-kashira of copper, carved and inlaid with gold and shakudō, with the design of Kanzan (on kashira), Chinese: Hanshan, an eccentric poet of the Tang dynasty with a scroll (618-906) who befriended Jittoku (on fuchi, Chinese: Shide, a kitchen helper at a mountain temple, holding a broom). Fuchi is signed Josui (如⽔). Fuchi (Jittoku, holding a broom): 38 x 22 x 12 mm. Weight: 23g (Nakago hole: 27 x 8.5 mm); Kashira (Kanzan, reading a scroll): 34 x 17 x 9 mm. Weight: 10g. Materials: Copper, gold, shakudō. Techniques: Tsuchi-me-ji (hammer-marked surface); usu-shishiai-bori or usuniku-bori (low-relief carving which leaves the image somewhat higher than the surface - high relief effect); zōgan (inlay). Josui was a daughter of Jochiku Kamo (Markus Sesko, Genealogies). -
Bando Mitsugoro II as Soga no Taro Sukenobu, the step-father of the Soga brothers, and Osagawa Tsuneyo II as Onio's wife Tsukisayo, in the play 'Omonbi Kuruwa Soga' performed at the Ichimura-za in the 1st month of 1799. Reference: Harvard Art Museums accession number 1933.4.525. Publications: Narazaki Muneshige, Ukiyo-e shuka [Collection of the Masterpieces of Ukiyo-e Prints in Museums] Volume 8: Foggu Bijutsukan [Fogg Art Museum, Harvard University], Neruson Bijutsukan [Nelson Atkins Museum]..., Shogaku-kan (Tokyo, Japan, 1980 [Showa 55]), Color Plate 107; p. 104 (entry p. 191). SOLD -
Japanese lacquer writing box (suzuribako) with an eagle sitting on a pine tree over the see waves. Rectangular box with rounded corners, slightly convex overlapping lid. Lacquer on wood with maki-e decoration in gold powder. The lid decorated inside with pine cones and needles over gold maki-e. Edo or Meiji period, 19th century. -
Iron tsuba of oval form with design of a gourd or aubergine vine with fruits, leaves, and blossoms climbing a trellis, and a fence in yellow brass and red copper flat inlay (hira-zōgan); inlay engraved. Two latticed windows represented by openwork (sukashi). The iron web has deep black patina. The seller attributes this tsuba to Heianjo-Namban school, whatever it means. Momoyama or early Edo period, 17th century. Kaga or Heianjō School. Unsigned. Height: 77.3, Width: 73.1, Thickness at seppa-dai: 3.6 mm. -
Iron tsuba of quatrefoil form with design of bamboo stems and leaves, and a plank bridge in openwork (sukashi). Hitsu-ana of irregular form. Iron with smooth chocolate patina. Copper and shakudō sekigane. This piece is illustrated in Sasano: Japanese Sword Guard Masterpieces from the Sasano Collection, 1994 on page 295 under № 254 with the following description:Nishigaki. First generation Kanshiro (died in the sixth year of Genroku, 1693, at the age of 81). Sukashi design: Bamboo (take). Early Edo period, late 17th century (Kanbun / Enppo era). Height: 72.6 mm; Width: 71.5 mm; Rim thickness: .6 mm; Centre thickness: 5.1 mm. Rounded rim. The shape of this sword guard is a quatrefoil and the design is arranged in the form of a saddle flap. Two bamboo trunks with leaves comprise the design. Calm, soothing and sophisticated are the features of this artist in his later years. Such characteristics may remind one of the work of the first Hikozo.
Provenance: Sasano Masayuki collection, № 254. What is interesting, and what had been found by Bruce Kirkpatrick, is that in the earlier photograph of the same piece ['Sukashi tsuba - bushido no bi' by Sasano Masayuki, photography by Fujimoto Shihara, 1972 (in Japanese), page 245, №201] we clearly see kebori - linear carving that decorates the bamboo leaves and the planks of the bridge. The said kebori have totally disappeared between 1972 and 1994. The tsuba became absolutely flat! Now we can only speculate about the reasons for such cruel treatment of the artistically and historically important item.
Sukashi tsuba - bushido no bi. Author: Sasano Masayuki, photography: Fujimoto Shihara, 1972 (in Japanese). Page 245, №201.
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Attributed to Suzuki Harunobu (Japanese: 鈴木 春信; c. 1725 – 7 July 1770). Sunga. Woman dreaming of making love. British museum attributes to Ippitsusai Buncho (一筆斉文調). -
Utagawa Toyokuni I. Women Weaving and Boy Playing with Puppies. c. 1790's. Publisher Wakasaya Yoichi (Jakurindô). Vertical aiban; 32.2 x 21.5 cm (12 11/16 x 8 7/16 in.). MFA ACCESSION NUMBER 06.671. Signed Toyokuni ga 豊国画. Censor's seal: kiwame 改印：極 SOLD -
The right sheet of (optional) triptych: Geisha (Geiko) and kabuki actor Iwai Hanshirō V as Katanaya Hanshichi from Three pleasures of present-day Osaka (Tōsei Naniwa no sankō)「当世浪花の三興 芸子」 「刀屋半七」五代目岩井半四郎. Publisher: Iseya Rihei [伊勢屋利兵衛] (Japanese, fl. 1790s – c. 1879) Year: 1821 (Bunsei 4). Size: Vertical ōban; 36.5 x 25.2 cm. Signed: 於浮瀬亭国貞画 – Drawn by Kunisada in Ukabuse (Ukabuse ni oite Kunisada ga). Ukabuse is the name of a famous restaurant in Osaka, this signature can be found only on a three print bijin series [Kunisada Project]. Censor's seal: kiwame 改印：極 Actor Iwai Hanshirō V [岩井半四郎] (Japanese, 1776 – 1847); other names: Iwai Tojaku, Iwai Kumesaburō I. Character: Katanaya Hanshichi [刀屋半七] Ref: MFA ACCESSION NUMBER 11.21938; LIB-2967.2022 Izzard. Full series (triptych) Three Pleasures of Present-day Osaka (Tōsei Naniwa no sankō):
