Bernard Posted December 12, 2013 Report Posted December 12, 2013 Hello everybody, My father purchased this engraved woodblock (25cm X23.5cm X 2cm) at a fleamarket. I think it was used to make a Japanese print (or a surimono ?).They must have been made in huge quantities, so I wonder why one sees them so rarely.Maybe because they have been destoyed or have no commercial value? Do you have a guess ? It would be amusing to find the finished print.Can anyone help in translating the inscriptions on it? (hope it is not Chinese !) Regards. Bernard D Quote
ROKUJURO Posted December 12, 2013 Report Posted December 12, 2013 Bernard, it is Japanese, but why don't you make a print? That would be much easier to read! Black would be sufficient! Quote
DirkO Posted December 12, 2013 Report Posted December 12, 2013 I wouldn't make a print, but a pencil oshigata/tracing on a simple piece of paper would suffice to get a better look at the signature and what's written in the textbox! Quote
Robert Mormile Posted December 12, 2013 Report Posted December 12, 2013 Bernard: The style is distinctly Japanese. It is signed so, perhaps a chu-ban print, or part of an o-ban but not a surimono. (you can see the key marks on the lower right corner and guide on the lower center edge.) The short answer on the survivability question is “fire”. Towns where prints were made, like Edo, were densely packets with small wooden homes. When there was a fire, it spread quickly. Fire-fighting was futile. Also, when prints lost their appeal, the woodblock was either reused or burned as fuel. There might have been made 40 impressions of a print that was not popular. Popular prints might have been reprinted 3 times (120 copies) before having to be recut, in a sense restored. How many images of this print exist can’t be known. Just for the sake of curiosity, you should print the signature and title section. Robert Quote
Bernard Posted December 12, 2013 Author Report Posted December 12, 2013 Thank you for your replies. Robert, your explanation is very interesting. Here are the results (front and back) of my efforts. I am aware that it is not impressive (sorry), but it's all I can do for the moment. Hope this helps a little... Bernard D Quote
Robert Mormile Posted December 12, 2013 Report Posted December 12, 2013 Strange, looks like: 傍谷画 Just can't place it right now. Robert Quote
Bernard Posted December 12, 2013 Author Report Posted December 12, 2013 Here is a new attempt for the signature. Bernard D Quote
k morita Posted December 13, 2013 Report Posted December 13, 2013 Hi, The title is: "The scenery of Benten Island (also Benten temple) in Shinobazu pond"(in Ueno,Edo,Tokyo).(不 忍 弁 天 の 真 景) Signature is: Wrote by Baikoku. (梅 谷 画) Quote
Bernard Posted December 13, 2013 Author Report Posted December 13, 2013 K Morita san, Many thanks for your help! Bernard D Quote
runagmc Posted December 13, 2013 Report Posted December 13, 2013 Any ideas on age, or rarity/value of the print carving? Quote
kusunokimasahige Posted December 13, 2013 Report Posted December 13, 2013 Great item ! The first time I actually see a woodblock itself ! KM Quote
Baka Gaijin Posted December 14, 2013 Report Posted December 14, 2013 Morning all, The British Museum has some Surimono (Privately published, usually celebratory - New Year etc) woodblock prints signed Baikoku. These are classified as Maruyama Shijo school, c. 1850. Cheers Quote
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