Hokkai no Sakana ほっかいのさかな
1989. Item #90474
Hokkai no Sakana ほっかいのさかな. 古谷貞治. Furutani Sadaji, author and Hōga Toshiko 宝賀寿子, artist. Fukuoka. [1989]. Self-published. An artist’s proof of a limited edition of 40 copies. 20 original woodblock prints loose in a 12 x 12.5cm green envelope with silver woodblock print on cover. Each is done on a single sheet 11 x 23.5cm, folded once to approx 11 x 12cm, with monochrome woodcut on front and woodcut text on back. An additional red and black woodcut serving as the cover includes the company name and telephone number. Each print has “Ap” handwritten as well as the signature of Toshiko Hōga in English. Housed in a 13 x 13.5cm cardboard slipcase with a woodcut laid down on cover. Both cases initialed “Ap.” Colphon on single sheet folded twice with monochrome woodcut Japanese text. Photocopy of an index to the prints in handwritten Japanese text is laid in.
Prints were designed in December of 1983 to advertise the Hokkaido-based Hokkai fish company. This revised edition, with the addition of text, was done in 1989 and self published utilizing a series of designs by Hōga Toshiko 宝賀寿子. It was published on Furuya’s birthday, when he was 80 years old and his wife Yukiko 古谷雪子 was 72 years old, also commemorating their 50th wedding anniversary.
Hōga is a longtime resident of Sapporo, Hokkaido, and has published many works since the start of her career in 1984.
Price: $325.00