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Subject:Utamaro (I or II) Print? Real? Recarve? Fake?
Posted By: Stan Sun, Aug 13, 2006 IP: 24.128.45.90

Today is one of those days I know I made a mistake. I am looking for help to figure out how big.

The attached print is signed Utamaro. Using a magnifying glass, it looks like a woodblock print - though its condition looks a little too good to be circa 1800. The publisher is Tsuru-ya Kinsuke which is consistent.

Any idea what the title (series) is? Any help or opinions would be appreciated (Hans Olof or Guy). Any suggestions on how to verify this? I'd like to find a copy on the web for comparing. So far, I haven't. Nor is it in any of my references. I guess I'm going to have to break it out of the old frame and have a closer look. If that holds up, I'll have get an expert opinion.

My possible mistakes are either:

1) I have an $80 piece of wall art.
or
2) I walked away from 2 others of the same ilk at similar prices.

Thanks,
Stan





Subject:Re: Utamaro (I or II) Print? Real? Recarve? Fake?
Posted By: Arthur Anderssen Mon, Aug 14, 2006

Hello Stan,

One thing is certain that it is a woodblock print. Signature is Utamaro. I think the best way to get to know more about your print is post your message to
http://user.bahnhof.se/~secutor/wwwboard/wwwboard.html
there some polite experts and collectors shall kindly tell what they think about your print.
Regards,
Arthur

Subject:Re: Utamaro (I or II) Print? Real? Recarve? Fake?
Posted By: Hans Olof Johansson Mon, Aug 14, 2006

Stan,

The series title is "Shinsei goshiki-zumi" ("Newly produced five shades of ink"). According to "The Passionate Art of Kitagawa Utamaro" by Sh�g� Asano and Timothy Clark, it was published in 1798-99. Only four prints from the series are recorded, and yours is known as "Pipe" ("Kiseru").

If it's genuine? Well, you probably know the odds. Finding a genuine Utamaro print in such a good condition is virtually impossible. I haven't been able to locate a reproduction of the original print for comparison, though.

Best regards,
Hans Olof

Subject:Re: Utamaro (I or II) Print? Real? Recarve? Fake?
Posted By: Stan Mon, Aug 14, 2006

Many thanks to Arthur and Hans Olof for their help.

When I bought it my thought was that even if it is a later recarve it is probably worth the $80. I can always hang it on my Wall (of Mistakes) and enjoy it. It'll go nicely next to the Hokusai "Shonenko" recarve for which I did pay too much.

We got the one of the three that my wife liked so she can't be too crabby at me. :-)

Thanks,
Stan

Subject:Re: Utamaro (I or II) Print? Real? Recarve? Fake?
Posted By: Stan Mon, Aug 14, 2006

I think I have answered a couple of my own questions. It looks like it is by Utamaro I from the series "Five Color Ink Sticks" (Shinsei goshiki-zumi).

I found another print from the series at the Boston MFA (an excellent resource). They have about 750 Utamaros and have about half of them on-line. See link below.

So, the remaining question is: original, recarve, restrike, or fake? More research required...

Cheers,
Stan

URL Title :Utamaro


Subject:Re: Utamaro (I or II) Print? Real? Recarve? Fake?
Posted By: edgar Wed, Oct 19, 2016

An original U. for 80?:) fat chance:) An original in this conditions would be more like 3500£:)

Subject:Re: Utamaro (I or II) Print? Real? Recarve? Fake?
Posted By: Stan Thu, Oct 20, 2016

Yeah, that one was a repro. I was just getting started 10 years ago.

How about a couple of original Hiroshige prints for $60 each?

Cheers,
Stan





Subject:Re: Utamaro (I or II) Print? Real? Recarve? Fake?
Posted By: Liz Fri, Feb 16, 2018

I bought this from an antique store in Tokyo. Any info would be appreciated. Would love it to be an original but realise I have more chance with the lottery :)

Subject:Re: Utamaro (I or II) Print? Real? Recarve? Fake?
Posted By: Stan Sat, Feb 17, 2018

Did you mean to attach a picture? Pix have to be less than 100 Kb.

Cheers,
Stan

Subject:Re: Utamaro (I or II) Print? Real? Recarve? Fake?
Posted By: Stan Sun, Aug 20, 2006

OK. I'm 99% sure this is a later print from recarved blocks. I don't think the paper is right. However, I can't prove it to a certainty because I can't find a known original with which to compare it.

I decide to look up the two I didn't buy to prove they are prints from recarved blocks and up my certainty to 99.9%. But I can't find a known original of either of those prints.

I got most of the way. The first print below is from the series "Fuzoku Bijin Tokei" (Women's Daily Customs). I just don't know which hour it is (Hour of the ???). The second appears to be from a Chushingura series but I couldn't find an original of my act (Act ?).

Cheers,
Stan





Subject:Re: Utamaro (I or II) Print? Real? Recarve? Fake?
Posted By: Stan Mon, Apr 16, 2007

Stan, Thank You, I also have those two prints.
I'll look at them closer, and let you know if there
is anything different on them.
Ruthann

Subject:Re: Utamaro (I or II) Print? Real? Recarve? Fake?
Posted By: Stan Tue, Apr 17, 2007

Ruthann,

These are copies from recarved blocks. They are good for wall art.

Cheers,
Stan

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