Posted by John Fiorillo on June 02, 2001 at 16:41:19:
In Reply to: Re: Print identification: White Birds posted by Alison Abbott on June 01, 2001 at 16:56:11:
Alison,
Very few Shôson-signed designs have dates indicated on the prints or in the literature (catalogs, dealers inventories, etc,). Sometimes the style of the Watanabe publisher's seal (usually found in the margins when found at all) will tell you whether it is an earlier or later Shôson-signed impression, but many do not have such seals or they have been trimmed off. Other factors such as the quality of the paper, the pigments, or the overall printing can sometimes offer clues, but it is more difficult to reach a conclusion with such subjective criteria. There is no doubt that some of the original blocks are still in the possession of the Watanabe family, so reprints are likely for those designs. Also, some images are quite common, suggesting that either they must have been published in very large original editions or, much more likely, they were reprinted several or many times over the years. A few Shôson-signed reprints have the 6mm Watanabe circular seal (see Watanabe seals), usually within the image, whereas the earlier impressions would have the cartouche-style Watanabe seals in the margins. However, the absence of the 6mm (or 7mm) seal does not necessarily indicate an earlier impression.
I do not see a publisher's seal on your impression, so perhaps the thing to do is contact a local reputable dealer or museum, or search the internet for dealers who seem to be selling Shoson's and ask them their opinion.
Koson-signed designs (the earliest ones by the artist before circa 1912) are a different matter, as we do find the seal of the publisher Kokeidô (Akiyama Buemon) placed directly on the image (often by the signature) on almost all of his published sheets. The publisher Daikokuya (Matsuki Heikichi), however, seems not to have included a seal and identifying prints from that publisher is a difficult task. A few Koson-signed prints were also published by Nishinomiya, but these may have been later restrikes from original Daikokuya blocks after World War II. In additin, there are some prints published by Kawaguchi that have a Hôson signature, probably dating from the late 1920s, which do often have a copyright seal
The publishing situation for Koson-Shôson-Hôson prints is complicated and it takes some detective work to determine whether an impression is a reprint. Finding someone expert in these designs is sometimes the only answer, and even then there is occasionally room for doubt. There is no doubt, however, that there are many late impressions from original blocks for many of the designs.
John