Takamizawa Mokubansha:
The Process of Wood-block Color Printing, Tokyo?, Takamizawa Mokubansha (Woodblock Printer), small 18mo (4 x 5 7/8 in - 10.2 x 15 cm), not dated but believed to be ca 1950, paper over thick cardboard boards, paste on title label on front cover and paste on publisher's label on back cover, accordion fold-out style booklet with pages jointed at the outer edge, 11 attached pages, 22 pages total counting the pages attached to front cover (text) and the back cover (blank). This book illustrates the color woodblock printing process using an image of a woman holding an umbrella (Hiroshige's "Beautiful Woman in the Snow"). The first page, which is attached to the front cover. contains a text section. This is followed by a page with the black and white key block (outline for the print). On pages following, the right page has the next color woodblock impression applied and the page to the left shows the cumulative state of the print. The woodblock progresses from the outline/key block through the application of 10 additional color woodblock impressions to the completed state of the print. In total, the book is created by using 11 woodblocks (key block and 10 color blocks).

The text page reads:

The Process of "Wood-block Color Print"

The order of printing is decided by the color and spaces, started from light color and from small spaces.

The exact placing of each color in the proper spaces, is secured by two guides raised on each block. At first, watered color is brashed on the block, then the face paper is placed on the block, and scrubbed with "Baren" (which is made of bamboo sheath) and these processes are repeated as to the number of blocks and kindes of color required.

I have seen this book where the text is vertical in relation to the key block (Type I) and where it is horizontal in relation to the key block (Type II).

Paste on Title Label

Paste on Publisher's Label

The Completed Woodblock

Hashiba No Watashi
(One of Hiroshige's Landscape Masterpieces)

Key Block                                       Text (Type I -  Text Vertical to Key Block)


Key Block                                       Text (Type II - Text Horizontal to Key Block)

 
Books/Folios With Actual Color Woodblock Prints Illustrating the Process of Color Woodblock Printing:

• 1907, Process of Wood-Cut Printing, The Shimbi Shoin, Tokyo, 127 pairs of prints.
• 1907, Process of Wood-Cut Printing Explained, The Shimbi Shoin, Tokyo
• c1916-c1920, Process of Wood-Cut Printing Explained, (Two Ladies in a Boat), The Shimbi Shoin, Tokyo, more information here.
• c1920, Process of Wood-Cut Printing Explained (Lady Fishing), The Shimbi Shoin, Tokyo, more information here.
• c1940, Process of Wood-block Printing, Nishinomiya & Hasegawa, Inc, Tokyo, more information here.
• c1950, The Process of Wood-block Color Printing, Takamizawa Mokubansha., Tokyo?, more information here.
• c1950, Japanese Woodblock Prints, Uchida Wood Block Printing Co. Ltd, Kyoto, more information here.
• c1950, The Process of Color-Block Printing (Fuji and Trees), S. Watanabe, Tokyo (Ginza), more information here.
• c1950, The Process of Color-Block Printing (Fuji and Wave), S. Watanabe, Tokyo (Ginza), more information here.
• c1953, Process of Wood-block Printing (Fuji and Wave), probably Nishinomiya/Hasegawa, Tokyo, more information here.
• c1953, Process of Wood-block Printing (Winter Scene with Temple & Lantern), probably Nishinomiya/Hasegawa, Tokyo, more information here.
• c1956, Process of Printing Wood Engraving, Unso-do Co., Kyoto, Utamaro, two women cooking from "One of Twelve Sketches of Handicraft Arts for Women," more information here.
• c1956, Process of Printing Wood Engraving, Unso-do Co., Kyoto, Utamaro, "Waitress Okita from the Naniwaya Tearoom," more information here.
• c1963 The Process of Wood-block Color Printing, (Hiroshige's "Night Scene at Kambara"), H. Nakazawa, Tokyo, more information here.
• c1970, Process Book of Woodblock Printing, Uchida Uchida Art Co., LTD., more information here.

 
Available for Purchase (Process Books):

• c1940, Process of Wood-block Printing, Nishinomiya & Hasegawa, Inc, Tokyo, purchase here.
• c1950, The Process of Wood-block Color Printing, Takamizawa Mokubansha., Tokyo?, purchase here.
• c1956, Process of Printing Wood Engraving, Unso-do Co. ("Red Lantern" Label), Kyoto, Utamaro, two women cooking from "One of Twelve Sketches of Handicraft Arts for Women," purchase here.
• c1970, Process Book of Woodblock Printing, Uchida Uchida Art Co., LTD., purchase here.

 
Available for Purchase (Other Books):

• 1937, One Hundred Masterpieces of Famous Ukiyoye, Takamizawa Colour Print Studio, Tokyo, purchase here.