While most Shimbi Shoin art reproduction plates are found bound into books, or extracted from books, the company did market color woodcut reproduction plates individually. They published catalogues (Old Masters of the Far East Wood-cut Reproductions) periodically listing the individual plates available. The five plates here are that type of material. These are all from the Shimbi Shoin "D - Genre" series. I have traced the "D series" to a sales catalogue as early as 1911 and forward through a catalogue dated 1937. The company also marketed folding cases to house the plates.

There are five plates housed in a folding case in this unit. The plate size is 12 3/4 x 19 in - 32.5 x 48 cm. The art reproduction woodcuts are tipped to plate. They cover from 50% to 80% of the plate. The plates in this unit are:

• D No. 11 By Fujimaro (18th-19 Century)
• D No. 17 By Kiyomoto (17th Century)
• D No. 22 By Sukenobu (1671-1751)
• D No. 28 By Shunman (1757-1820)
• D No. 30 By Utamaro (1753-1805)

Printed on the back of each plate is the "D" number, the artist's name and period (as shown above) and "Reproduced by the Shimbi Shoin, Ltd, Tokyo." An example of the printing on the back is here.

The Case. The plates are housed in a cloth covered folding case. Inside the case there is a wooden frame that surrounds and protects the plates. There is an insert that fits on top of the plates inside the case. The case is secured with clasps.

Condition. The following comments are offered regarding condition.

• Plates. All the plates have vertical creases or curling along one or both of the right and left margins. These are no more than 1/2 from the edge, far outside the image area. These creases were caused by the protective insert that fits on top of the plates in the case.

  D No. 11 By Fujimaro (18th-19 Century)
  Foxing in bottom left margin

  D No. 30 By Utamaro (1753-1805)
  Diagonal crease top left corner

• Case. Several rubbed areas on the cloth covering. Weakness along the seams but no breaks. Top ivory clasp is missing.

The Plates

D No. 11  By Fujimaro (18th-19 Century)


D No. 17  By Kiyomoto (17th Century)


D No. 22  By Sukenobu (1671-1751)


D No. 28  By Shunman (1757-1820)


D No. 30  By Utamaro (1753-1805)


Folding Case