Ukiyo-e Prints

浮世絵版画

Kansas City, Missouri

PUBLISHERS

N Thru S

To go to our other publishers pages click on the stamps below

A thru Ebiya

Echizenya thru G

H thru Imariya Ushizō

Ise Mago thru J

K thru Kyōji

Maruya thru Murataya

T thru Uoya

Wakasaya to Z

CLICK ON THE IMAGES OF THE PRINTS SHOWN BELOW

TO SEE LARGER EXAMPLES.

PUBLISHER

KANJI

KANA

LOCATION

EXAMPLE

SEAL

ARTISTS

DATES

Nishimuraya Yohachi

(Seal name - Nishiyo

西与;

firm name - Eijūdō

永寿堂;

family name - Hibino

日比野)

Marks #391

西村屋与八

にしむらやよはち

Edo/Tokyo

The print shown to the right 

is not one we have offered.

Sent to us by an anonymous

contributor.

The bottom half of the publisher's seal is not shown  here, but the top part of it appears on the trimmed lower edge of this print.  Below is a full example from a different print.

Marks seal #23-016

We know that this seal was

 being used in ca. 1782 into1807.

Marks gives the dates of the

1780s to 1809.

Bunchō, Chōki (b),

Eisen (b),

Eiri, Eishi,

Eishō, Eizan,

Harukawa Eishō (b),

Harunobu,

Hiroshige (b),

Hokkei, Hokuju,

as both Shunrō

& Hokusai (b),

Kiyomine, Kiyomitsu, 

Kiyonaga ( b),

Kiyomitsu II,

Kiyoshige,

Kiyotsune,

Koryūsai,

Kunimaru ( b),

Kunimitsu (b),

Kuninao (   b),

Kuninobu (b), 

Kunisada ( b),

Kuniyasu (b),

 Kuniyoshi (b),

Masayoshi ( b),

Sadahide,

Sadashige (b),

Shigemasa ( b),

 Shigenobu (b),

Shikimaro, Shunchō, 

Shundō (b),

Shun'ei, Shungyō,

Shunman,  

Shunshō, Shuntei,

Shunzan, Toyoharu,

Toyohiro ( b),

Toyokuni I ( b),

Toyokuni II (b), 

Tsukimaro (b),

Utamaro,

Toyoshige, Utamaro II,

Yasunobu,

 Yoshimaru (b)

A (b) means as a

 book illustrator sometimes

along with woodblock prints.

Andreas Marks gives the

dates ca. 1751 to 1869

The carver Hori Kane
worked for this house
on Sadahide prints in 1860.

"Nishimuraya Yohachi is among the most important publishers in the history of prints and may be the purblisher with the biggest output over time." This is from Japanese Woodblock Prints: Artists, Publishers and Masterworks 1680-1900 (p. 194) by Andreas Marks as are all other entries in this box. "...since his beginning, all important and popular artists worked for him." Marks talks about Nishimurya's willingness to publish unusual themes across a large range of subjects. "In the 1830s, his production of illustrated books increased significantly until it came to an abrupt end in early 1841." Marks added later: "Nishimuraya suddenly stopped producing prints and illustrated books in early 1841, apparently because of a change in leadership from Yohachi II to the adopted Yohachi III." [Perhaps another reason might have been the restrictions of the Tempo reforms which were so destructive to other publishers at that time - especially those in Osaka.] In 1799 Toyokuni I produced a memorial print devoted to the founding member of the firm. In 1807 Nishimuraya was a member of two major guilds: the Picture Books and Print Publishers Guild and the Book Publishers Guild. Little was published between 1841-1860. "The final end came in the third month of the same year when Nishimuraya was taken over by the publisher Maruya Tokuzō."

Nishimuraya Yohachi collaborated with Tsuruya Kiemon and Jōshuya Jūzō on a Hokusai suguroku print in the 1820s. The Museum of Fine Arts in Boston says that Nishimuraya Yohachi collaborated with Tsutaya Jūzaburō on Koryūsai prints in 1776 and with Moriya Jihei on Kunisada prints in 1836.

The Kuniyoshi print shown

 to the right is

from the Lyon Collection.

Click on the image to see more information.

Marks seal #01-008

We know that this seal was

 being used as early as ca. 1770-72

to as late as 1825-30

as found on a Toyokuni II triptych.

The Hiroshibe print shown

 to the right is

from the Lyon Collection.

Click on the image to see more information.

Marks seal #16-053

Marks notes that this seal was

used in 1834.

The print shown to the right

is from the Lyon Collection.

Click on it to learn more.

Marks seal #16-054

We know that this seal above

 was used on prints published

as early as ca. 1770 to

as late as 1784.

The seal to the right appeared on

a Kiyomitsu I print in ca. 1770.

 The seal to the right appeared on a

Hiroshige print in ca. 1832-4.

The Kiyonaga above from the collection

of the Museum Fine Arts, Boston
is dated to ca. 1784.

The seal to the right appeared on a

Kiyonaga print from ca. 1781.

This seal is not

listed in Marks.

The seal to the right appeared on an

Okura Masanobu print in ca. 1708-10.

This pushed out dating back by about 55 years.

 This seal -
to the right -was used

on a Kiyonaga print in ca. 1778.

Nishinomiya Shinroku

(Firm names -

 Gangetsudō 翫月堂 and

Shunshōken  春松軒)

Marks #392

西宮新六

にしのみや

しんろく

Edo

The British Museum web site has the left panel of the two prints shown here. They identify this publisher as Nishi Shin.

The two panels to the right are in the Lyon Collection. Click on the image to see more information.

Marks seal #25-341

Marks notes that this seal

was used between

1821-27.

Chōki (b),

Harunobu, Hokusai,

 Kiyoshige, Kiyomitsu I,

Kiyotsune,

Kunimaru (b), 

Kuninao (  b),

Kunisada (  b),

Kuniyasu (b),

Masanobu (b),

Shigemasa II,

Shigenobu (b),

Shunkō II

(Shunsen  b),

 Shuntei (b),

 Toyohiro (b)

Toyokun I (  b),

Utamaro,

 Yoshimaru (b)

A (b) means as a

 book illustrator sometimes

along with woodblock prints.

Andreas Marks gives the dates ca. 1762 to 1829

Nomuraya Tokubei

Marks #399

野村屋 徳兵衛

のむらや

とくべい

Edo

The image to the right was

sent to us courtesy of

KuniyoshiProject.com.

However, we took the

seal from another print

so it would be large enough

to read clearly. A different
seal appears on the top part.

Marks seal #02-065

Kuniyoshi,

Toyokuni III

Andreas Marks gives the

dates as ca. 1847-50

Nunokichi

Marks #U242

布吉

ぬの

きち

Edo

The print shown to the right is not one we have offered. The image was sent to us from our contributor ED.  We are grateful for this addition to our site.

 Marks seal #25-499

Marks gives the dates of

.1844-46

Hiroshige,  Kuniyoshi,

Toyokuni III

Andreas Marks gives

the dates as from the

early 1840s to 1846

.

Oden

Marks #U246

(尾伝)

おでん

Edo

 Marks seal #21-238

Kunisada, Kunitomi,

Kuniyasu, Sadafusa

Andreas Marks gives

the dates as ca. 1831-1832

Okaei

Marks #U250

(岡栄)

おかえい

Edo

The Kuniyoshi print shown

 to the right is

from the Lyon Collection.

Click on the image to see more information.

 Marks seal #25-096

Marks notes that this seal

was used in 1849.

Kunimori,

Kuniyoshi,

Toyokuni III

Andreas Marks gives

the dates as ca. 1849-1850

Ōmiya Gonkurō

(Firm name - Shūhōdō 聚宝堂)

Marks #412

近江屋

権九郎

おうみや

ごんくろう

Edo

The Utamaro print to the right

is from the Lyon Collection.

Click on the image to see more information.

Marks seal #23-068

Marks notes that this seal

was used  in 1795-6.

Eishō, Hokusai,

Kiyomitsu II,

Kunisada,

Masayoshi, Shuntei,

Toyoharu,

Toyohisa, Tsukimaro,

Utamaro,

Utamaro II

Andreas Marks gives

the dates as ca. 1794-1812

The Toyoharu print shown

 to the right is

from the British Museum.

Date unknown.

Marks seal #21-234

Ōmiya Heihachi

Marks #413

近江屋

平八

おうみや

へいはち

Edo

The print shown to the right 

is not one we have offered.

Marks seal #01-108

Marks notes that this seal

was used from the 1810s to

1850s.

Eisen, Eizan,

Kunisada, Kuniyasu,

Kuniyoshi,

Sadahide, Shunkō,

Shunshō II, Shuntei,

Toyokuni I, Toyokuni II

Andreas Marks gives

the dates as ca. 1811-1851

Ōmiya Kyūjirō

(Seal name -

Kinkyū 近久;

firm name - Kiyūdō 亀遊堂;

family name -

Sawa Kyūjirō 沢久次郎)

Marks #415

近江屋

久次郎

おうみや

きゅうじろう

Edo/ Tokyo

 Click on the print to the right to see an enlargement along with more information. It is from the Lyon Collection.

Marks seal #30-034

Marks notes that this seal

was used in 1856-75.

Gengyo, Hanpo,

Hiroshige III,

Kokunimasa, Kunichika,

Kunihide, Kunihisa II,

Kunisada II,

Kunisada III, Kunitora II,

Nitei, Nobukazu,

Sadahide, Toyokuni III,

Yoshiiku, Yoshikazu,

Yoshimori, Yoshitora,

 Yoshitoshi, Yoshitsuya

Andreas Marks gives

the dates as 1855-1904

Hori Chō carved a
Kunichika triptych
for this house in 1864, 
a Yoshitoshi in 1865
and 1867 and
Yoshitora in 1865 and
a Toyokun III in 1861.

Hori Mino in 1860.
Hori Dai carved a
Kunichika triptych in 1863.

Horikō Shige carved a
Yoshiiku in 1865.

Hori Yasu carved Yoshiiku prints in 1860. Hori Masa
on Toyokuni III in 1859

and again for this house

in 1863-64 and 1866.

Hori Sashichi on
Yoshiiku in 1863,

The triptych to the right

is from the collection of

the Museum of Fine Arts,

Boston.

Marks seal #30-047

Marks says that this seal

was used in 1892,

but we found it on prints

from 1904.

Ōsada

(Seal name - Daisada)

Marks #U253

大貞

おさだ

Edo

The Kunichika print

shown to the right

is from the collection of

the Museum of Fine Arts,

Boston.

Marks seal #30-042

 Hiroshige III,

Kunisada II,
Kunichika,

Sadahide,

Yoshitoshi

Andreas Marks gives

the dates as ca. 1860-68.

Ōsakaya Sashichi

(Seal name - Daisa)

Marks #421

大坂屋佐七

おおさかや

さしち

Osaka

The print shown to the right

is from the collection of

the Museum of Fine Arts,

Boston.

Marks seal #02-005

The seal shown in Marks of

the plover flying below two

mountains is in reverse, but

must be the same publisher.

 Ryūkōsai Jokei

Andreas Marks gives

the dates as ca. 1793-1794.

Ōtaya Takichi

(Family name - Ōta Takichi,

Ōta Hidekatsu after ca. 1873,

aka Hori Takichi)

Marks #423

太田屋

多吉

おおたや

たきち

Edo/Tokyo

 Kuniaki,

Kunichika, Kunihisa II,

as Kunisada & Toyokuni III, 

Kunisada II, Kuniyoshi,

Kyōsai, Yoshikazu,

Yoshiiku,

Yoshimori, Yoshitora

Andreas Marks gives

the dates as ca. 1849-1867

This publisher started out as a carver from a family of carvers. "In the mid 1840s, Ōtaya predomnantly worked as a carver for Kuniyoshi but then began to publish Kuniyoshi's actor prints by himself." After he quit publishing he continued carving under the name Hidekatsu until at least 1877. He died in 1882. Source and quote from: Japanese Woodblock Prints: Artists, Publishers and Masterworks 1680-1900, by Andreas Marks, p. 292.

Edo

The print shown to the right is not one we have offered. The image  has been sent to us from the Eikei (英渓) Collection. We are grateful for this contribution to our site

This publisher's seal has

been misidentified. We

shall correct it soon

if possible. Sorry!

Edo

The Toyokuni III diptych

shown to the right is

from the Lyon Collection.

Click on the image to see more information.

Marks seal #21-245

Marks notes that this seal

was used between

1854-6/1856.

The Kuniyoshi print

to the right is from the

Lyon Collection.

Click on the image to see more information.

This seal

was used between

1848 to the 1860s.

To the right is an alternative

seal for Ōta-ya Takichi.

To the right is

an 1863 Yoshimori

print from the

collection of the

Museum of Fine Art,

Boston

Owariya Seishichi

(Family name -

Fukuzumi Seishichi

福住清七; 

firm name -

Kinrindō 金鱗堂;

seal name -

Osei 尾清)

Marks #425

尾張屋

淸七

おわりや

せいしち

Edo/Tokyo

The Kunichika print

shown to the right is

from the Lyon Collection.

Click on the image to see more information.

Marks seal #25-173

Eisen (b),

Hiroshige II, Kunichka,

Kunisada II, Yoshitora,

Yoshitoshi

A (b) means as a

 book illustrator sometimes

along with woodblock prints.

Andreas Marks gives 

ca. 1851 to 1870

Eisen worked with Kinrindō in 1822. This conflicts with Marks dates. This Kinrindō may be a

different publisher or our Japanese source may have been wrong in

their identification.

Oyama Hangorō

Marks #426

小山屋半五郎

おやま

はんごろう

Edo/Tokyo

The Toyokuni I print

to the right is

from the 

Museum für angewandte Kunst,

Vienna. The seal far to the

right comes from a

different print.

Marks seal #01-093

While this is the only

seal shown in Marks

for this house there

was a different seal

following the application

of Meiji laws.

Eisen, Eizan,

Kunichika, Kuniyasu,

Shunkō II,

 Toyokuni I.

Andreas Marks gives 

ca. 1806 to 1879

Sa

Marks #U258

The actual name of this

publisher is unknow. Marks

calls it 'Sa' because of the

character in the center of

this seal.

サ

Edo

The Kunisada triptych

 shown to the right is

from the Lyon Collection.

Click on the image

 to see more information.

Marks seal #17-002

Marks notes that this seal

was used between

1844-49.

Kuniyoshi,

Toyokuni III

Andreas Marks gives

the dates as ca. 1844-49

Sakaiya Kurobei

Marks #439

堺屋九郎兵衛

さかいやくろべえ

Edo

The Kiyomitsu

 print shown to the right is

from the Lyon Collection.

Click on the image

to see more information.

Marks seal #16-116

Marks notes that this seal

was used between

1747-54.

Harunobu,

Ishikawa Toyonobu,

Kiyohiro, Kiyomitsu,

Kiyonaga, Kiyonobu,
Kiyoshige, Shigemasa,

Shunjō

Andreas Marks gives

the dates as ca. 1747-75

Sakanaya Eikichi

Marks #442

Marks says that this

publisher has been

erroneously referred to

as Uo-ya (Eikichi).

See our entry

on our T to Z publishers page.

魚屋栄吉

さかなやえいきち

Edo

The Toyokuni III

 print shown to the right is

from the Lyon Collection.

Click on the image

to see more information.

Marks seal #24-007

Gengyo, Hiroshige,

Hiroshige II,

Kunisada II,

Kuniyoshi,

Toyokuni III,

Yoshimori

Andreas Marks gives

the dates as ca. 1855-66

The Hiroshige II

 print shown to the right is

from the Lyon Collection.

Click on the image

to see more information.

Marks seal #24-008

Marks notes that this seal

was used between

1858-64.

Sanoya Kihei

(Seal name - Sanoki 佐野喜, 

firm name - Taihōdō 太保堂

until ca. 1804,

then Kikakudō

喜鶴堂/喜霍堂,

family name - Okumura Kihei

奧村喜兵衛)

Marks #446

佐野屋

喜兵衛

さのや
きへえ

Edo/Tokyo

Marks seal #25-210

Marks notes that this seal was

used from the 1820s to the 1860s.

Eisen (b), Eizan,

Hiroshige (b),

Hokkei,

Kuninobu,

as Kunisada (  b)

& Toyokuni III,

Kunisada II, Kuniteru,

 Kuniteru II,

Kuniyoshi (b),

Sadahide,

Shunsen (aka Shunkō II),

Toyokuni I,

Toyokuni II, Yoshikazu,

Yoshitora

A (b) means as a
 book illustrator sometimes
along with woodblock prints.

Andreas Marks gives

the dates as ca. 1717-1875

Andreas Marks in his Japanese Woodblock Prints: Artists, Publishers and Masterworks 1680-1900 (p. 244) relates an interesting bit of information which not only applies to the practice of this publisher, but, by extrapolation to others as well: "From the early 1820s, he also issued actor prints, a topic he pursued constantly until the mid-1850s. With a few exceptions his actor prints are just average and well over twenty cases are kown when Sanoya reissued already existing woodblocks with old designs and just modified the actor's face line to portrait the actual actor of the new performance." We suppose this was an expedient cost-saver. In the next paragraph Marks gives Sano-ya its due: "Sanoya's stronghold was clearly prints of beautiful women, a field which he dominated undisputedly." One series was so popular new blocks had to be cut because the old ones had worn down. This firm was a member of the Guild of Fan Producers (Uchiwa toiya) "...and we know that he produced fan prints at least from the 1820s until the 1860s."

The print shown to the right is not one we have offered. However, it has a publisher's seal which we want to display for your information. The image  has been sent to us from a private collection. We are grateful for this contribution to our site.

Marks seal #17-001

Marks notes that this seal

was used between

1800s-1860s.

The Hiroshige print to the left was brought to me for an appraisal. The owner has kindly let us reproduce the image here plus the very poorly printed publisher's seal.

Sanoya Tomigorō

( Seal name - Sanotomi

佐野富, 

firm name -

Kinseidō 錦盛堂)

Marks #448

佐野屋

富五郎

さのや

とみごろう

Edo/Tokyo

This print has a seal we have not offered

yet. It was sent to us by our great

contributor Eikei  (英渓) .

Marks seal #16-033

Marks notes that this seal

was used between

1859-1865.

Fusutane,

Hiroshige II, Kuniaki II,

Kunichika, Shuntei III,

Toyokuni III, Yoshiiku,

Yoshimori, Yoshitora,

Yoshitoshi, Yoshitsuya

Marks gives the dates of

ca. 1851 to 1871.

Hori Masa worked
for this house in 1859
and 1865.

The Yoshitoshi print to the right

is from the Lyon Collection.

Click on it to

see more information.

Marks seal #25-157

He says that this seal

was used between

1862-1866, but the print

to the left is from 1867.

Sasaya Matabei

(Seal name -

Sasamata 笹又)

Marks #453

笹屋又兵衛

ささや

またべい

Edo

The print shown to the right is

from the Museum of  Fine Arts,

Boston.

Marks seal #25-214

Marks notes that this seal

was used in 1860.

Kuniyoshi,

Sadahide,

Toyokuni III

Andreas Marks gives

the dates as ca.

1817-60.

Hori Masa worked
for this house in 1860.

Sawaya Kōkichi

(Seal name - Sawakō 澤幸)

Marks #460

沢屋

幸吉

さわや

こうきち

Edo

Kunisada, Kunisada II,

Kuniyoshi, Yoshitora,

Yoshitsuya

Andreas Marks gives

the dates as ca. 1845-1852,

12th month

The triptych to the right is from

the Lyon Collection. Click on it to

see more information.

Senri

千里

せんり 

Edo

(or Osaka)

The print shown to the right is not one we have offered. However, it has a publisher's seal which we want to display for your information. The image  has been sent to us from M's collection. We are grateful for this contribution to our site

Possibly Yoshikuni, but under a different seal. This is based on an identification made by the British Museum: #2004,0619,0.2. The artist in the example shown to the right is as yet unidentified. We're working on it.

As early as ca. 1820 or earlier to as late as ca. 1844 or later

Shimizu

Marks #328 -

as Mikawaya Seiemon

清水

しみず

Edo

Marks seal #16-011

The Museum für angewandte Kunst in Vienna says that this seal was also used by the publisher Mikawa-ya from ca. 1804 to 1818. I find this information a bit confusing and hope we can clear it up in time.

Eisen, Eizan,

Hiroshige, Kunimitsu,

Kunisada, Kuniyoshi,

Toyohiro,  Toyokuni I, 

Toyokuni II

Andreas Marks gives
the dates as ca. 1805-1829

The Museum für angewandte Kunst in Vienna gives the end date of ca. 1840 for this publisher

Dr. Andreas Marks identifies this publisher as Mikawaya Seiemon. He says: "Some sources follow Ishii 1920a who gives only Shimizu..." This is how this publisher is listed by the British Museum and the Museum of Fine Arts, Boston. Of course, that could be due to the lag time of updating their on-line information.

To the left is another seal used by this publisher.

Shimizu

Marks #U283

Edo

The print to the right is

from the Lyon Collection.

Click on it to go to its

full page.

Marks seal #16-079

Hiroshige, Kunisada,

Toyokuni II

ca. 1818 to the late 1820s

Shimizu

Marks #U287

Edo

The print to the right is

from the Lyon Collection.

Click on it to go to its

full page.

There is another print

from this series in the

Minneapolis Museum of

Art that identifies the

publisher as Shimizuya

Naojirō. This is

interesting because

Andreas Marks is

currently associated

with that museum.

Marks seal #21-154

The seal shown above
come from another copy
of the print to the left
found at Waseda University.

Marks notes that this seal

was used in 1848-49.

Kuniyoshi,

Toyokuni III

ca. 1844 to 1849

The print to the right is

from the Museum of

Fine Arts in Boston.

Marks seal #21-155

Marks notes that this seal

was used in 1844.

Shimizuya Naojirō

Marks #468

清水屋直次郎

しみずやなおじろう

Edo/Tokyo

The Kuniyoshi print to

the right is from the

collection of the

British Museum.

Marks seal #01-081

This is the only known seal

for this publisher.

Kunichika,

Kunisada II,

Kuniyoshi, Toyokuni III,

Yoshimune, Yoshitora

Andreas Marks gives
the dates as ca. 1845-1873

Shimizuya

Tsunejirō

(Seal name: Shitsune - 清常 - family name:

Hasegawa Tsunejirō -

長谷川常次郎)

Marks #469

清水屋

常次郎

しみずや

つねじろう

Edo/Tokyo

 Chikanobu,

Fusatane,

Ginkō, Hideki,

Hideteru, Hiroshige II,

Kokunimasa,

Kunisada II, Kuniteru,

Kunitoshi,

Kuniyasu, Kuniyoshi,

Nobukazu, Shungyō,

Toyokuni III, Yoshitaki,

Yoshiteru, Yoshitoshi, 

 Yoshitsuya

Marks gives the

dates of ca. 1843 to

1904 for this publisher.

The carver Hori Mino worked

for this house in 1852. Hori Asa worked for them in 1890 carving Chikanobu prints.

The triptych shown to the right is not one we have offered. However, it has an alternate publisher's seal which we want to display for your information. This image has been sent to us from the Michi Trading Company of Houston, Texas . We are grateful for this contribution to our site.

This seal is closest to

Marks  #25-331

The print to the right is

from the Lyon Collection.

Click on it to go to its

full page.

There was only a partial seal shown

due to trimming. We found another

full example from a different print.

Marks  #23-043

Shioya Chōbei

(Seal name:

Enchō/Shiochō - 塩長 -

  firm names: Fukusōdō or Taibundō - family name:

Yamamoto Harushige -

山本春樹)

Marks #475

塩屋

長兵衛

しおや

ちょうべい

Osaka

The Ashiyuki diptych

to the right comes

from the Lyon Collection.

Click on the image

to see more information.

Marks  #25-092

Ashinuki, Ashiyuki,

Ashitomo, Asihiro,

Asihisa, Ashisato,

Harusada, Hokkei,

Hokuchū, Hokushū,

Rankōsai, Ryūkōsai,

Shōkōsai, Shunchō,

Shunko, Shunkyō,

Utakuni, Yoshikuni

Andreas Marks gives two sets of dates for this publisher which cover ca. 1659-1859.

Shioya Chōbei had a virtual monopoly in Osaka on print publishing up to ca. 1816. "Also contributing to the great upwelling of production in 1816 was a mandated change in who had the right to publish single-sheet prints in Osaka. From the early 1790s, essentially with the start of the Osaka single-sheet tradition with Ryūkōsai, the publisher Shioya Chōbei (Shiochō) enjoyed a near monopoly, but thanks to judicial proceedings that produced koban nishiki-e, as did some smaller firms.... Still more small publishers jumped into the market in the 1820s, working alone or in collaboration with larger firms." Quoted from: Andon 96, 'Koban nishiki-e: Rare small-format colour prints from Osaka' by John Fiorillo and Peter Ujlaki, p. 10.  ¶ Later Fiorillo and Ujlaki added in footnote 17: "The roots of the conflict dated back a quarter century when Shioya Chōbei (Shichō) filed and won a legal suit in Osaka in 1793/8 to suppress the publication of 'single-sheet off-prints' (nukezuri) depicting actors. His intent was to severely limit competition with his theatre books (including Ehon niwatazumi 'Picture book, flowing rainwater', by the artist Ryūkōsai Jokei). After a build-up of de facto competition c. 1816, by late 1817 the single-sheet nishiki-e market was officially opened to more Osaka publishers."

This Asihiro and Asihisa

diptych is in the collection

of the Museum of Fine Arts,

Boston.

 Marks seal #25-093

Marks notes that this seal

was used from 1793 to 1807.

However, this appears to

be far too early and the
Museum of Fine Arts in
Boston dates this diptych

to 1817.

Sōshiya

Marks #U300

Osaka

The Kunihiro diptych

to the right comes

from the Lyon Collection.

Click on the image

to see more information.

Marks  #24-060

Ashihiro, Ashikuni,

Ganjōsai, Harusada,

Hokushū, Kunihiro,

Tamikuni

Andreas Marks gives the

dates as ca. 1816 to 1823

Sōshūya Yohei

Marks #485

総州屋与兵衛

そうしゅうや

よへえ

Edo

The Kuniyoshi print

to the right is from

the Lyon Collection.

Click on the image

to see more information.

Marks  #21-082

Marks notes that this seal

was used between

1816-1851.

Eisen, Eishō,

Eizan, Hokusai,

Kunimaru,

as Kunisada and Toyokuni III, Kunitomi, Kuniyasu,

Kuniyoshi, Ryūkoku,

Sadatora, Shunkō I,

Shunzan, Teisai Senchō, Toyokuni I, Toyokuni II, Utamaro, Yoshifuji,

 Yoshitora.

Andreas Marks gives the

dates as ca. 1802-51

We have found no carver's
seals on any of the prints
published by this house.

If anyone knows of any
examples please contact

us so we can upgrade
this information.

There is a Kunisada
triptych  from the 1830s in the
Museum of Fine Arts, Boston

with both this publisher's seal

and that of Yamaguchiya
Tōbei.

Sōshūya Yohei published uki-e or perspective prints along with images of actors and beautiful woman.

Sumimaruya Jinsuke

Marks #494

住丸屋

 甚助

すみまるや

じんすけ

Edo

Marks seal #16-015

Eizan,

Hokusai, Kunimaru,

Kunisada, Shuntei,

Toyokuni I,

possibly Utamaro,

 Utamaro II

Andreas Marks gives the

dates as ca. 1803 to 1814

Sumiyoshiya Masagorō

(Seal name: Sumimasa 住政;

 firm name: Hōraidō 鳳来堂)

Marks #498

住吉屋

政吾郎

すみよしや

まさごろう

Edo

The print shown to the right is not one we have offered. However, it has a publisher's seal which we want to display for your information. The image  has been sent to us from a private collection. We are grateful for this contribution to our site

Marks seal #21-062

This seal is not the one that

appears on the print to the left,

but one from another print that

is more readable.

Marks notes that this seal

was used between

1850-1852.

Hiroshige,

Kunisada II,

Kuniyoshi, 

Toyokuni III,

Yoshikazu

Marks gives the dates of ca. 1847-53. However he notes that this house also had been in operation since ca. 1804-60 for other printing needs.

Both Hori Take

and Hori Mino carved

for this house in 1852.

 Marks seal #23-021

Marks notes that this seal

was used in 1848.

Surugaya Hanbei

Marks #499

駿河屋

半兵衛

するがや

はんべい

Edo

The print to the right is

from the Lyon Collection.

Click on it to go to its

full page.

Marks seal #02-062

Eiri,

Eishō,

Shūchō,

Shun'ei,

Shuntei,

Toyokuni I,

Utamaro

Andreas Marks gives

the dates as ca. 1797-1808

Surugaya Hanbei also

published books. We know

of two. In one the text

was by Jippensha Ikku

and the other by Shikitei

Sanba.

The print to the right is

from the Lyon Collection.

Click on it to go to its

full page.

Marks seal #22-081

Marks notes that this seal

was used between

1797--1798.

Surugaya Sakujirō

Marks #501

Note: This is the publisher listed
by the MFA and does not
agree with Marks findings.

駿河屋作次郎

するがさくじろう

Edo

The Kunichika diptych (?)
  to the right is from the

collection of
the Museum of Fine Arts,
Boston

Marks seal at #U308,

#21-012

Marks says this seal

belongs to Suwai from
ca. 1864. He gives
Kyōsai as the only
artist published with
this seal.

Fusatane,

Hiroshige, Kunichika,

Kunihisa II, 

Kunisada,

Kuniyoshi,

Toyokuni III

Andreas Marks gives

the dates as ca. 1844-1865

Hori Masa worked as

a carver for this house

 in 1863. Asakura Hori Man

in 1865.

The Kunichika print to

the right dates from

1865 and is from the

collection of
the Museum of Fine Arts,
Boston

Marks seal #06-005

Marks notes that this seal

was used from the 1850s

to 1864. The prnt to the

left in Boston was printed

a year later.

The Kunichika print to

the right also dates from

1865 and is from the

collection of
the Museum of Fine Arts,
Boston

Marks seal #21-013

Marks notes that this seal

was used only in 1865.

Suzuki Ihei

(Seal name: Suzui 鈴伊)

Marks #502

鈴木

伊兵衛

すずき

いへえ

Edo

The print to the right is

from the Lyon Collection.

Click on it to go to its

full page.

Marks seal #04-028

Eisen, Eizan,

Kunisada, Kunitsugu,

Kuniyasu, Toyokuni I

Andreas Marks gives

the dates as ca. 1810-1819

CLICK ON THE

BACK OF THE BAREN SHOWN ABOVE TO GO TO FIRST PUBLISHERS PAGE WHERE THEY ARE ARRANGED ACCORDING TO SHAPES!