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I evaluated Asian antiques recently at an appraisal event for a charitable organization in my city. Among other leftovers, I promised to continue efforts to identify the artist's signature on this woodblock print (details downloaded herewith) with a date of Showa 12 (1937) in its margin.

In the inset beside the cursive signature and red seal, I've included the apparent name of the artist in standard kanji, which I picked up from the box beneath the date. The first character definitely is part of the name, but I'm less certain about the second. In any event, when I ran both of them through an online Japanese dictionary, I came up with the name 'Hideo'. As usual, there are other possible transcriptions.

Nothing conclusive came of my web search. Works by Hideo Hagiwara are similar in style, but he apparently doesn't sign them in the same manner as this print.

Thanks for all indulgences,

Bill H.

Bill,

Both the cartouche in the left margin and the red seal below the artist's signature are for the publisher, Takemura Hideo. In the cartouche, the reading is "Hanken shoyu Takemura Hideo" or "Copyright owned by Takemura Hideo". The seal reads "Takemura".

Unfortunately, I can't help with the artist. The only 2 artists that I know of who designed landscape prints for Takemura were Tsuchiya Koitsu (sometimes signing as Kiyoshi) and Nishimura Hodo (sometimes signing as Saito Hodo). The signature that you show is not one of those.

It would probably be helpful if you could show the entire print design image. Also, it might be possible that the signature that you show has cut off a character above the 2 you show. If so, please show the entire signature.

Marc

Mark, I'm much obliged for your helpful response. My apologies for the abominable photos, taken with a camera that was acting focus-unfriendly in the face of nonreflective glass over the print.

All of the visible written information that I could see is shown in the images provided, but here's another shot of the print showing some more of the Fuji landscape.

Thanks again,

Bill H.

Hi Bill, Marc,

The sig might be 秀峯 [ひでみね] Hidemine.

Cheers, Dave.

Dave, I believe you're right about the bold characters over the seal, though I haven't yet found an artist to go with the "Hidemine" transliteration. It's a moot question now, as that print is long gone.

Still appreciate your effort,

Bill H.

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