JAPANESE PRINTS
A MILLION QUESTIONS
TWO MILLION MYSTERIES
Ukiyo-e Prints浮世絵版画 |
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Kansas City, Missouri |
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PUBLISHERS 版元 はんもと HANMOTO |
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Glory Days! The book we have all been waiting for even if we didn't know it. |
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Above is Andreas Marks' latest contribution to the field of ukiyo-e studies and it is a winner. In fact, there is nothing else like it which we know of in English or any other Indo-European language. It not only displays more than 2,300 publisher seals, but much, much more.
It is expensive. So, who then should purchase it?
1. The truly serious collectors of Japanese woodblock prints! 2. The relatives, lovers and/or devoted friends of those who are serious collectors of Japanese prints! 3. Those who can afford it and want to curry favor with a boss or mentor who collects! 4. Those who are obsessive about their collections! 5. All serious woodblock print dealers! They aren't truly serious if they don't own a copy. 6. All major institutions which own woodblock print collections! If they are strapped for funds right now then a major patron or group of patrons should buy a copy and donate it. 7. And all quality libraries - university or otherwise - which include large sections on Japanese art and culture! |
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PUBLISHERS
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WHAT DO WE KNOW ABOUT JAPANESE PUBLISHERS?
NOT MUCH! |
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As far as I know there is very little information - real information - to be found in English about Japanese publishers. There may not be much more than that in Japanese. I don't know. We do have some of the addresses of the publishers and/or the personal names of the owners of particular houses, but knowing an address in early 19th century Edo or Osaka doesn't tell us much more than knowing a particular address in modern Ulan Bator or in ancient Rome. And yet several authors insist on providing these. Perhaps the addresses could be a jumping off point for further research. Don't hold your breath.
At least we do know something about the relationships between publishers and artists. By and large the artist was a contract worker. Publishers thought of themselves as the most important figures in the production process while from the perspective of some artists it was the other way around. This is not a chicken vs. egg issue. The artist needed the publisher and vice versa. And yet today we identify each print according to the name of the artist and rarely does the name of the publisher trip off the tongue.
Then why do we care? We care for several reasons: authentication is one. Porcelain collectors look for factory marks. Silver devotees look for telltale hallmarks. Identifying and knowing who the publishers were helps, but very little. But one of these days I think it may mean a lot more.
For a number of years I have wished that someone or some institution would organize an exhibition based on the prints coming from just one important publishing house or even several competing ones: Such an exhibition could be arranged chronologically, by artist, by theme, etc., and would begin to give us a better idea of the role and significance of such houses. Perhaps this is too academic an approach and would not be of interest to enough people or anyone but me for that matter. It is the big artistic names which draw the crowds and provide the revenue. But when you consider that certain publishers must have played very influential roles in shaping the market and the direction of public tastes this might not be such a bad idea. Consider the number of exhibitions which have been devoted just to Kuniyoshi: The standard for these exhibitions has always been based on genres or chronologies, but never by publishing houses. |
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CLICK ON THE IMAGES OF THE PRINTS SHOWN BELOW TO SEE LARGER EXAMPLES. |
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Organizing Japanese Publisher Seals By Categories |
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Lists of Japanese publishers are often organized generally according to shapes. This is not exactly a hard and fast rule because there is a miscellaneous category, but overall that is how it is done. Frank A. Turk in his volume The Prints of Japan (p. 305) states: "The trade marks given here are arranged in accordance with the scheme first used by Mr. B. W. Robinson in his monograph on Kuniyoshi...." This may not be exactly true because Robinson may have been following the Japanese model. However, as Turk adds "...a scheme which in practice has proved to be very useful indeed." The categories are: |
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1. WITHIN A CIRCLE (Go to the alphabetical list on the next page for more information about each publisher and links to print images with each particular seal. To do this click on the image of the baren at the bottom of this page. Also, the black or white borders found on some of the examples shown here were added by us for graphic purposes and do not exist on the actual prints.) |
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Chōjiya Kichi Marks #028 |
Echizenya Hachiemon Marks #043 |
Fukuda Kumajirō Marks #071 |
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Ibaya Kyūbei Marks #126 |
Ibaya Senzaburō Marks #127 |
Ise Mago Marks #150 |
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Iwatoya Kisaburō Marks #173 |
Kobayashiya Taijirō Marks #257 |
Maruya Jimpachi Marks #294 |
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Yamadaya Shōbei Marks #585 |
Masugindō Marks #304 |
Murata-ya Jirōbei Marks #359 |
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Maru-ya Bun'emon Marks #292 |
Ezakiya Kichibei Marks #058 |
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Maruya Seijirō Marks #299 |
Ōtaya Takichi Marks #423 |
Daikokuya Kinzaburō Marks #034 |
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Hōeidō Marks #525 |
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2. WITHIN A HEXAGON OR OCTAGON |
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Daikokuya Kinnosuke Marks #033 |
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3. WITHIN A SQUARE |
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Kogaya Katsugorō Marks #262 |
Sanoya Kihei Marks #446 |
Shimizu Marks #328 (Andreas Marks identifies this publisher as Mikawa-ya Seiemon) |
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Sa Marks #U258 |
Nishimura Yohachi Marks #391 |
Sawa-ya Kōkichi Marks #460 |
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Eijudō Marks #391 (Marks identifies this publisher as Nishimura-ya Yohaichi.) |
Correction to Ebisu from Ebisuya Shōshichi. Marks #U037 |
Aritaya Seiemon Marks #014 |
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Sumimaruya Jinsuke Marks #494 |
Murataya Jirōbei Marks #359 |
Sanoya Tomigorō Marks #448 |
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Kogaya Katsugorō Marks #262 |
Sakaiya Kurobei Marks #439 |
Tsujiya Yasubei Marks #550 |
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Amatsu Marks #U004 |
Akamatsuya Shōtarō Marks #002 |
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4. WITHIN A RECTANGLE |
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Aito Marks #435 |
Aritaya Seiemon Marks #014 |
Aritaya Seiemon Marks #014 |
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Daikokuya Heikichi Marks #209 |
Daikokuya Kinjirō Marks #032
Correction: We changed this from Daikoku-ya Kinnosuke. |
Daikokuya Kinnosuke Marks #033 |
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Mikawaya Tetsugorō Marks #329 |
Gusokuya Kahei Marks #085 |
Honsei Marks #123 |
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Ebisuya Shōshichi Marks #039 |
Ebisuya Shōshichi Marks #039 |
Ebiya Rinnosuke Marks #040 |
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Ebiya Rinnosuke Marks #040 |
Etsuka Marks #045 |
Fujiokaya Keijirō Marks #063 |
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Ise-ya Kanekichi Marks #145 |
Ise Yoshi Marks #U095 |
Izumi-ya Ichibei Marks #180 |
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Izumiya Ichibei Marks #180 |
Izumiya Ichibei Marks #180 |
Kagaya Kichiemon Marks #195 |
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Kagaya Yasubei Marks #196 |
Kawaguchiya Uhei Marks #232
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Kiya Sōjirō Marks #252 |
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Maruya Heijirō Marks #293 |
Minatoya Kohei Marks #332 |
Sanoya Kihei Marks #446 |
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Takemura Hideo Marks #524 |
Tsujiokaya Bunsuke Marks #548 |
Tsujiokaya Bunsuke Marks #548 |
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Tsujiokaya Kamekichi Marks #549 |
Tsunoi Marks #552 |
Uoya Eikichi Marks #442 |
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Uoya Eikichi Marks #442 |
Yamaguchiya Tōbei Marks #591 |
Yorozuya Magobei Marks #627 |
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Tamaya Sosuke Marks #528 |
Hiranoya Shinzō Marks #114 |
Izutsuya Shōkichi Marks #188 |
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Iseya Kisaburō (Corrected on 5/27/2017) |
Iseya Sanjirō Marks #153 |
Kazusaya Iwakichi Marks #233 |
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Maruya Kiyūshirō Marks #298 |
Murataya Tetsu Marks #360 |
Tsuruya Kiemon Marks #553 |
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Yorozuya Zentarō Marks #629 |
Kawaguchiya Marks #230 |
Tenki Marks #536 |
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Azumaya Daisuke Marks #025 |
Edoya Matsugoro Marks #048 |
Jōshūya Kinzō Marks #192 |
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Maruya Seijirō Marks #299 |
Kinkadō (Konishi) Marks #242 |
Kagiya Shōjirō Marks #198 |
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Izutsuya Shōkichi Marks #188 |
Wataya Kihei Marks #579 |
Oden Marks #U246 |
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Ibaya Senzaburō Marks #127 |
Ōtaya Takichi Marks #423 |
Kawaguchiya Shōzō Marks #231 |
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Ōtaya Takichi Marks #423 |
Itoya Shōbei Marks #167 |
Nishi Shin Marks #392
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Kawaoto Marks #U130 |
Nishimura Yohachi Marks #391 |
Funazu Chūjirō Marks #077 |
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Sanoya Kihei Marks #446 |
Originally identified as Mitaya Kihachi Marks #326 (This has been corrected from an earlier attribution thanks to the careful attention of our contributor ED. Thanks ED!)
Now known to be Mikawaya Kihei according to Dr. Andreas Marks. |
Honya Seishichi Marks #123 |
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Jōshūya Kinzō Marks #192 |
Iseya Ichibei Marks #143 |
Nuno Kichi |
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Moritaya Hanjirō Marks #352
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Kakumotoya Kinjirō Marks #199 |
Wataya Kihei Marks #579 |
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Yamashiroya Jinbei Marks #601 |
Koshimuraya Heisuke Marks #274 |
Iseya Tokichi Marks #158 |
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Sumiyoshiya Masagorō Marks #498 |
Wakasaya Yoichi Marks #573 |
Yamadaya Shōjirō Marks #586 |
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Shimizuya Tsunejirō Marks #469 |
Iseya Rihei Marks #152 |
Ezakiya Tatsuzō Marks #059 |
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Izuya Sankichi Marks #189 |
Tsujiya Yasubei Marks #550 |
Uemura Yohei Marks #564 |
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Toshikuraya Shinbei Marks #539 |
Maruya Tokuzō Marks #301 |
Jōshūya Jūzō Marks #191 |
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Maruya Jimpachi Marks #294 |
Okaei Marks #U250 |
Hayashiya Shōgorō Marks #106 |
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Ezakiya Kichibei Marks #058 |
Minatoya Kohei Marks #332 |
Shioya Chōbei Marks #475 |
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Wakau Marks #U366 |
Izumiya Ichibei Marks #180 |
Ōtaya Takichi Marks #423 |
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Ōmiya Gonkurō Marks #412 |
Yamahei Marks #U436 |
Sawaya Kōkichi Marks #460 |
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Sanoya Tomigorō Marks #448 |
Tsutaya Kichizō Marks #556 |
Enshūya Hikobei Marks #055 |
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Fujiokaya Keijirō Marks #063 |
Yamaichi Marks #U438 |
Iseya Shōnosuke Marks #155 |
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Mikawaya Marks #U225 |
Ibaya Kyūbei Marks #126 |
Jōshūya Kinzō Marks #192 |
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Tenmaya Kihei Marks #536 |
Yamaichi Marks #U438 |
Kojimaya Kūbei Marks #264 |
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Sakanaya Eikichi Marks #442 |
Koshimuraya Heisuke Marks #274 |
Daikokuya Kinnosuke Marks #033 |
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Kyōji Marks #U174 |
Fujiokaya Hikotarō Marks #062 |
Sōshiya Marks #U300 |
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Shimizuya Tsunejirō |
Enshūya Matabei Marks #057 |
Daikokuya Kichinosuke Marks #031 |
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Marks #469 |
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Kawachiya Genshichi Marks #227 |
Tamura Tetsujirō Marks #531 |
Kinkadō (Konishi) Marks #242 |
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Hiranoya Shinzō Marks #114 |
Miyakozawa Marks #U227 |
Daikokuya Kinnosuke Marks #033 |
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Horikoshi Marks #U077 |
Daitora Marks #U036 |
Iseya Sōemon Marks #156
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Owariya Seishichi Marks #425 |
Fujiya Masashichi Marks #065 |
Mikawaya Rihei Marks #327 |
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Kawaguchiya Marks #230 |
Tsujiya Yasubei Marks #550 |
Kawaguchiya Uhei Marks #232 |
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Hori Masa Marks #U078 |
Kobayashi Taijirō Marks #257 |
Takanoya Tomoemon Marks #515 |
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Surugaya Sakujirō Marks #501 |
Izumiya IchibeiSurugaya Marks #180
While this seal does not appear within a rectangle,
it only lacks the bottom
line for that. of in the miscellany group at the end of the next page. |
Katōya Seibei Marks #224 |
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Daikokuya |
Kawachiya Genshichi Marks #227 |
Ibaya Senzaburō Marks #127 |
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Miyakawa |
Shimizuya Marks #U287 |
Enshuya Matabei Marks #057 |
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Ishikawaya Wasuke Marks #163 |
Sōshūya Yohei Marks #485 |
Takasu Sōshichi Marks #517 |
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Yamamotoya Heikichi Marks #595 |
Tsutaya Kichizō Marks #556 |
Murataya Jirōbei Marks #359 |
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Iwatoya Kisaburō Marks #173 |
Murataya Jirōbei Marks #359 |
Murataya Jirōbei Marks #359 |
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Edoya Matsugorō Marks #048 |
Moritaya Hanzō Marks #352 |
Sumiyoshiya Masagorō Marks #498 |
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Sumiyoshiya Masagorō Marks #498 |
Wakasaya Jingorō Marks #572 |
Tsuruya Kinsuke Marks #554 |
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Harimaya Shinshichi Marks #097 |
Gusokuya Kahei |
Hasegawa Sonokichi This seal is not in Marks. |
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Hirookaya Kōsuke Marks #117 |
Fujiokaya Keijirō Marks #063 |
Tsujiokaya Kamekichi Marks #549 |
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Daikokuya Kinnosuke Marks #033 |
Asai Kinjirō Marks #063 |
Yahataya Sakujirō Marks #581 |
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Daitora Marks #U036 |
Ezakiya Kichibei Marks #058 |
Ezakiya Kichibei Marks #058 |
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Sasaya Matabei Marks #453 |
Fujita Marks #U050 |
Fujiokaya Keijirō Marks #063 |
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Hamadaya Tokubei Marks #088 |
Wataya Kihei There is no Marks entry. |
Hagiwara Marks #U059 |
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Shioya Chōbei Marks #475 |
Kikuya Ichibei Marks #235 |
Kikuya Ichibei Marks #235 |
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Murataya Ichigorō Marks #358 |
Wataya Kihei Marks #579 |
Kawaji Marks #U127 |
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Maruya Jinpachi Marks #294 |
Yamadaya Sanshirō Marks #584 |
Shimizuya Marks #U287 |
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Ōmiya Gonkurō Marks #412 |
Moriya Jihei Marks #353 |
Surugaya Sakujirō Marks #501 |
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"-dō" |
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Frank A. Turk in an addendum entitled "Lists of Engravers, Prints, Calligraphers and Publishers engaged in the Production of Japanese Prints and Printed Books with Illustrations" in his The Prints of Japan (Arco Publications, 1966, p. 69ff) notes "Wholesale publishers were organized into a guild, the Jihondoiya no Nakama. Each member of this carried on business under three names, the dō-gō, the ya-gō and his personal name." Later he adds "The ya-gō or name of the firm might be used by different men for several generations but the dō-gō was nearly always restricted to one person." Furthermore, "Finally, each publisher had his own trademark or shop sign (iye no shirushi) and this is often stamped on the artist's original design, with or without one or more of the publisher's names."
B. W. Robinson in his Kuniyoshi published by Her Majesty's Stationery Office in 1961 (p. 56) "Japanese publishers are known either by the family and personal names of the proprietor, as Ibaya Sensaburō, or by the name of the firm, as Dansendō; the latter always ends in -do. In their marks, the family and personal names are often combined in an abbreviated form, as Iba-Sen."
However, during the Meiji period seals changed considerably. Publishers were now required to list their name, address and date of publication. All of this information was to be provided in the right or left border of the sheet outside of the image. |
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"D'OH" |
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This is the most frequent exclamation made by Homer Simpson. Generally he blurts it out after a stupid or grievous mistake of some kind. Since the Japanese suffix -dō has a radically different meaning I have chosen to insert it here for any and all persons who might think that this list of publishers is anywhere near complete. Far from it. There were hundreds of publishers. This page is not meant to be a comprehensive guide. It only offers information about prints which we have handled. Also, the boxes listing the artists names is intended to give you a better idea of the scope of individual publishing houses. It does not mean we have prints for sale by these artists. As for the dates -now there is a tricky question - there is very little to no specific information telling us when publishers opened their doors or finally closed them. Robinson, cited above, commented that "Some firms seem to have been large and well established... others, again, occur only once or twice [on Kuniyoshi prints], suggesting that numerous 'mushroom' firms were continually springing up and going out of business after a very short time." It is not only those 'mushrooms' which are so difficult to date, but the whole darned industry. A thorough research project presents itself here for anyone with the time, interest or knowledge to pursue it. I have none of these, but will do the best I can for you until better comes along. |
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"-ya" |
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"-ya" is the Japanese suffix for 'shop' or "...the person who does business in the place to which it is affixed." |
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PUBLISHERS
To go to our other publishers pages click on the stamps below |
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A thru Ebiya
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Echizenya thru G
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H thru Imariya Ushizō
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Ise Mago thru J
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K thru Kyōji
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Maruya thru Murataya
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N thru S
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T thru Uoya
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Wakasaya to Z
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AS IF THIS PAGE WEREN'T LONG ENOUGH...
WE HAVE NOW ADDED LINKS TO OUR THREE PAGES OF EXAMPLES OF PUBLISHER SEALS WE HAVE NOT OFFERED YET, BUT WHICH WERE SENT TO US BY OUR GENEROUS CONTRIBUTORS AND A PAGE DEVOTED TO KUNIYOSHI AND SOME OF HIS PUBLISHERS.
CLICK ON THE IMAGES BELOW TO GO TO THOSE PAGES. |
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