- Slightly soiled/ browned, in background and blank margins only. Otherwise a fine copy.

= About this series: The New Wave, p.157: "This collaborative series of c. 1924 included the contributions by eleven different artists on the customs and manners of beauties corresponding to the twelve months. It was published by Murakami, about whom little is known except for his issuing of this series." SEE ILLUSTRATION PLATE LXV.

- A fingernail size worn spot in top margin; a few small shaved spots in surrounding borders and some tiny flaked areas in blue swirling lines.

= Provenance: J.W. Niemeijer (director of the Rijksprentenkabinet from 1974-1990, and born in the sign of Sagittarius). Remarkable and very attractive richly decorated miniature, showing Sagittarius in the central panel surrounded by birds perched upon vine leaves with hanging bunches of grapes; this central panel is flanked on the left and right side by an intricate pattern of flowers, leaves, tiny dots and swirling decorated blue lines on gilt ground. Possibly one of a complete series of the signs of the Zodiac.

- A few sm. dam. spots along edges.

- Thin brown line in mid-upper margin (paperflaw?); silk borders w. a few spots and remnants of glue in upper corner.

- All tipped onto mount; all lvs. w. fold 2-3 cm. from right side; sl. browned and faded; w. a few closed wormholes.

- Occasionally a trifle foxed, but otherwise fine.

= A comical scroll depicting a mob of (presumably) sumo wrestlers fighting Fukurokuju, or possibly Jurôjin, two of the Seven Lucky Gods. The two share similarities and are often conflated.

- Seals sl. faded, thus difficult to read; navy blue paint seemingly sl. worn in some spots.

= Depicts the bodhisattva Kannon (also known as Avalokitesvera or Guanyin), seated beside a vase with a willow branch and gazing benevolently upon the world. Most of the outlines of the figure - done in gold paint on a blue background - are formed by lines of fine Chinese characters, most likely part of the Lotus Sutra often associated with Kannon. SEE ILLUSTRATION PLATE LXV.

- Trifle/ sl. foxed, otherwise fine.

- Some creases; sl. dustsoiled.

- A fine pair of scrolls.

= Depicting the legendary fight between warrior monk Benkei on one scroll and Minamoto no Yoshitsune on the other.

- Occasionally (sl.) creased, otherwise fine.

= Depicts flowers, trees and animals. Titled on the outside of the box, inscribed inside: "A winter's day in 1911. 19 years of painting(?). [signed:] Kôgyô jidai" with seals.

- Partly nibbled by silverfish; w. (restored) horizontal creasing and cracking.

- Painting slightly foxed, otherwise fine. Brocade sl. worn.

= Depicting the Shichifukujin, the Seven Lucky Gods, enjoying votive offerings, feeding Benzaiten sake and ogling her body. SEE ILLUSTRATION PLATE LXV.

- Thin Japanese w. (slight) wrinkles and a few tiny holes or tears; occas. trifle foxed. Top of scroll trifle/ sl. worn and waterdam. (unobtrusive).

= With partially read title-strip mounted on verso, mentioning Edo and the Tôkaidô. Shagan, Japanese Erotic Art. The Hidden World of Shunga, p.234-236: "While rapists are generally portrayed as Yakuza or thieves, easily recognizable by their black clothing and kerchiefs, or as highway bandits, sometimes stealing the woman's clothes, shunga shows all sorts of men as perpetrators, and occasionally gang rape. Importantly, most rapists are depicted as having physically unattractive attributes, such as an unusual amount of body hair, or unshaven or disfigured faces. [...] It should not be underestimated or overlooked that the men who commit these hideous crimes were shown as ugly or deformed, and having to resort to the use of force in order to have sex. No one looking at such images could conceivably see them as role models and the way the men are depicted is an expression of society's revulsion at these acts." SEE ILLUSTRATION PLATE LXVI.

- With folds/ creases, particularly between two prints; a (few) waterstain(s) not affecting image; occas. trifle foxed.

= With partly unread titlestrip mounted verso of scroll: "[?]fune" ([?]ship). Depicts a peculiar chain of events where three men go out on a boat, get into bad weather and are rescued by a group of women on an island. Consequently, they have vigorous intercourse to the point of overexhaustion, after which the men run away, back to their boat. Prints without signatures, but 7 of 10 prints w. four different seals used by Yoshitoshi.