Japanese Print Collectors - Yoshitoshi's Print Edition Insights

Japanese Print Collectors - Yoshitoshi's Print Edition Insights

Identifying Print Editions of Yoshitoshi's One Hundred Aspects of the Moon

Series Fact Sheet

One Hundred Aspects of the Moon (Tsuki hyakushi)
1885–1892

Yoshitoshi’s most celebrated and commercially successful late series. Each design depicts a historical, literary, or legendary subject drawn from Japanese and Chinese culture, unified by the presence of the moon — sometimes dominant, sometimes subtly integrated into the composition.

Technical Details

  • Artist: Tsukioka Yoshitoshi
  • Dates of publication: 1885 (10 designs) – 1892
  • Format: Ōban (approximately 10 x 15 inches)
  • Signatures: Yoshitoshi; Yoshitoshi giga
  • Artist Seals: Yoshitoshi (various forms), Taiso (various forms), Yoshitoshi no in
  • Publisher: Akiyama Buemon

Principal engravers:

  • Yamamoto (43 designs)
  • Nigouchi Enkatsu (43 designs)
  • Yoshihisa (3)
  • Naoyama (2)
  • Esen (1)
  • Unnamed (7)

Akiyama Buemon – The Publisher

Akiyama Buemon (ca. 1882 to the 1920s; firm name: Kokkeidō) was one of the most important Meiji-era publishers and played a central role in Yoshitoshi’s late career. He financed and issued One Hundred Aspects of the Moon serially between 1885 and 1892. The series was marketed to a literate, increasingly urban audience fascinated by history, folklore, and nostalgia during Japan’s rapid modernization.

Other artists published by this house include Chikanobu, Den'ichi, Ei'nen, Hiroshige III, Kiyochika, Koson, Kunichika, Kunimine, Kunisada III, Kyōsai, Miyagawa Shuntei, Toshihide, Toshikata, Yoshiiku, and Yoshimune II.

Akiyama’s publisher seals appear in the lower left margin of the prints. His marks vary slightly in format but typically include his name (秋山武右衛門) within a cartouche.

After Yoshitoshi’s death in 1892, Akiyama issued a complete album edition of the series. This is a critical point for collectors attempting to distinguish lifetime impressions from posthumous printings.

Lifetime vs. Posthumous Editions

During Yoshitoshi’s lifetime (1885–1892), prints were sold individually as single sheets, issued gradually in batches.

After his death, Akiyama Buemon produced a complete album edition containing all 100 designs. Importantly, the original printed dates in the lower margin were not altered. Therefore, the printed date alone cannot be relied upon to determine whether a sheet is a lifetime impression.

General Distinguishing Characteristics

Lifetime Editions (1885–1892):

  • Sold as individual sheets
  • Typically superior impression quality
  • Crisper keyblock linework
  • More nuanced bokashi (gradation)
  • No album backing (unless backing was added later by the purchaser).

Posthumous Album Edition (after 1892):

  • Sold as a complete 100-print set
  • Commonly encountered today
  • Often mounted with a thick secondary paper backing (“Meiji backing”)
  • Slightly diminished line sharpness in some cases due to block wear
  • Colors sometimes appear brighter or more saturated

Many dealers historically purchased album sets and separated them for individual sale. In numerous cases the backing was removed, complicating identification.

There is no single definitive diagnostic feature; identification relies on connoisseurship — paper, impression quality, pigment behavior, and comparison with known lifetime examples.

Below: Examples of an album of prints from the series.



20th Century Reprints

Several publishers reprinted “100 Aspects of the Moon” in the late 20th Century. Below is an original print of “I Watch the Moon Descend” with the publisher information on the left border as shown. Note that depending on the print the printers used both black and red inks.

 

This reprinted edition below by publisher: The Japan Art Association published 15 selected works from the series on specially made, genuine hosho paper. And another example of a reprint where the publishing information is positioned differently.

Several carvers were used for this series reprint, I’ve seen listed. Carver: Ohkura Kenji and Printer Watanabe Akio. Also: Carver Maeda Kentaro. Printer Tanaka Sakuji.

The prints of this publishing are:
・"1/Moon over Inabayama"・"2/Ishiyama Moon"・“3/Sotoba Moon”・"4/Musashino Moon"・"5/Tsukiyokama"・"6/Evening coolness under the evening glory trellis"・"7/Saya no Tsuki"・"8/The Moon of Enlightenment"・“9/Shijo Noryo”・"10/Tsuji-kun"・“11/Sweet Moon”・"12/Glimpse of the Moon"・"13/Kaga Chiyo"・“14/Historian Village Tsukiyo, Kumonryu”・"15/Takao"

 

This “Jade Rabbit” reproduction below is by publisher Uchida Art.

There is nothing wrong with reproductions per-se. The prints are are newer, quality, hand-made paper is used, colors brighter, lines probably crisper, embossing is applied. The issue comes when a seller tries to pass one off as an original lifetime edition. Also we sometimes see prints from this series with the borders cropped so the publisher marks are removed. Then these are passed off as original lifetime prints.

 

Printing Variability and Human Process

It is essential to remember that ukiyo-e production was entirely manual. Each color required a separate carved block and individual hand application. Variations occurred naturally:

  • A color block may occasionally have been omitted in certain impressions.
  • Pigments may have been substituted due to availability or cost.
  • Registration (kentō alignment) can vary slightly between impressions.
  • Bokashi gradations were applied by hand and are inherently variable.

Collectors should expect variation even within the same edition.

Chemical Pigments and Color Stability

One Hundred Aspects of the Moon was produced during the Meiji period, when synthetic aniline dyes had become widely available in Japan. These chemical-based reds — often used in garments, flames, and seals — are known to behave differently from earlier organic pigments.

Key considerations:

  • Bleeding: The red pigment used in many impressions can bleed if exposed to water or high humidity.
  • Fading: Aniline reds are particularly light-sensitive and may fade unevenly.
  • Environmental impact: Paper tone and pigments can shift due to:
    • UV exposure
    • Oxidation
    • Humidity fluctuations
    • Atmospheric pollutants

For example, collectors often observe oxidation darkening in areas of heavy red application, especially in fire scenes. This is a condition issue rather than necessarily an edition indicator.

Condition and Backing

Most commonly encountered copies today derive from the posthumous album edition. These were mounted on a thick secondary support paper commonly referred to as Meiji backing.

Important notes:

  • Presence of backing strongly suggests album origin.
  • Absence of backing does not guarantee lifetime printing (it may have been removed).
  • Removal of backing may have caused ink colors to bleed, especially reds.
  • Backing removal can leave residual fibers or thinning visible under magnification.

Below: Examples of different types of backing on the print series. (from left to right). 1) Thick album backing probably by the owner, not the publisher. 2) Publisher backing is thinner. 3) No backing, or backing has been removed.

 

Rarity Within the Series

While all 100 designs are desirable, certain subjects are notably scarcer and command premium pricing, particularly in strong lifetime impressions.

Serious collectors should consult:

John Stevenson, One Hundred Aspects of the Moon
Published by Avery Press, Boulder, CO
ISBN 0-9632218-0-9

This remains the most comprehensive English-language reference on the complete series.

Below: Three of the most popular designs from "100 Aspects of the Moon". Prices can range from $500 - $3,000 depending on the condition.

Practical Takeaways for Collectors

  1. Do not rely solely on the printed date in the margin.
  2. Examine paper thickness and evidence of album backing.
  3. Study keyblock line sharpness under magnification.
  4. Compare pigment quality and gradation to known early impressions.
  5. Be aware of natural pigment instability in Meiji chemical reds.
  6. Consult reputable reference works and auction comparables.

Edition determination ultimately requires visual experience and side-by-side comparison. There is no single “switch” that confirms lifetime versus posthumous — only accumulated evidence.

 

Below: Complete album sales on Christie's Auction House.

Market Commentary

Auction Results & Price Ranges
Prints from One Hundred Aspects of the Moon appear with regular frequency at major international auctions and increasingly in specialist Japanese print sales.

  • Groups of prints from the series (e.g., sets of 3–12 sheets) commonly sell in the mid-to-higher four-figure range at established houses such as Sotheby’s and Bonhams — for example, a set of 8 prints with album covers sold for US $10,240 (inc. premium) in New York.
  • Bonhams records a group of 12 prints from the series selling for US $6,400 inclusive of premium.
  • Individual lots — such as six plates from the series at a regional auction house — have realized around US $2,970.

Complete Sets & Album Editions
Complete or nearly complete album sets command significantly higher totals:

  • A complete set of all 100 designs offered at Bonhams achieved US $69,062.50 (inc. premium) at auction.
  • A similar assembled set offered at another auction was estimated in the US $8,000–$12,000 range, illustrating that completeness and condition heavily influence value.
  • Historical records from Christie’s show a complete album selling for US $75,000 (realized), slightly above estimate, underscoring strong competitive bidding for complete, well-provenanced albums.

Price Variability Within the Series
Market pricing for individual prints varies widely depending on condition, demand for specific designs, and rarity:

  • Archive data from specialist online sources indicate many One Hundred Aspects of the Moon prints trade in the low hundreds to low thousands of USD on the secondary market, with common designs often starting in the US $300–$1,000 range.
  • Premium examples — strong impressions, excellent color, and minimal restoration — can command proportionately higher bids, especially in major auction arenas.

Overall Market Dynamics

  • Yoshitoshi remains one of the most collected Japanese printmakers on the market. His works have sold over a broad range: individual works on paper have realized from tens of dollars to well over US $200,000 at auction (across all subjects), illustrating the wide spectrum of value in his oeuvre overall.
  • One Hundred Aspects of the Moon in particular benefits from consistent collector interest due to its artistic reputation and thematic depth, contributing to steady liquidity.

Estimated per-print value by lot size:

The per-print averages illustrate an important collecting dynamic: curated, smaller groupings often achieve stronger individual valuations than larger mixed lots. In contrast, complete sets — while commanding substantial total prices — frequently normalize to a lower per-sheet average due to the inclusion of more common designs and variable condition across the group. For collectors, this suggests two distinct strategies: acquiring select high-demand designs individually (often at a premium), or purchasing albums or larger groupings at a relative per-print discount and selectively upgrading over time.

Median Series Artwork Prices

This chart shows the middle value of all realized prices for Yoshitoshi's "One Hundred Aspects of the Moon" print series, sold at auction during the years noted, providing a clearer representation of typical market values by minimizing the influence of extreme outliers. (data from https://www.mutualart.com/).

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