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NEEDLEFISH (SAYORI) / Bakufu Ohno
1940
RESERVED
Needlefish (Sayori)
Bakufu Ohno (1888–1976)
SERIES: Familiar Fishes of Japan, Volume II
MEDIUM: Woodblock print
DATE: 1940
DIMENSIONS: 10 × 15 inches
CONDITION: Excellent; no problems to note
NOTE: First edition; silver metallic pigment
RESERVED
Needlefish (Sayori)
Bakufu Ohno (1888–1976)
SERIES: Familiar Fishes of Japan, Volume II
MEDIUM: Woodblock print
DATE: 1940
DIMENSIONS: 10 × 15 inches
CONDITION: Excellent; no problems to note
NOTE: First edition; silver metallic pigment
RESERVED
Details
This impression offers an opportunity to appreciate the technical sophistication underlying the image. The striped body is printed with exceptional precision, requiring perfect registration between multiple color blocks. Subtle embossing and carefully controlled pigment application create a convincing sense of volume beneath the graphic surface pattern.
The fish's eye, fins, and scales are rendered with remarkable delicacy, preventing the composition from becoming purely decorative. Every detail contributes to a unified whole, demonstrating the close collaboration between artist, carver, and printer that characterized the finest examples of shin-hanga production.
Connoisseur's Note
The Japanese needlefish (sayori) has long been associated with the arrival of spring and early summer, when it appears in coastal waters and markets throughout Japan. Celebrated for its delicate flavor and graceful appearance, it occupies an enduring place within Japanese culinary and seasonal traditions. Ohno's decision to depict the species as a harmonious school, rather than as an isolated specimen, captures something of its character while quietly acknowledging its place within everyday Japanese life.
For scholars of Japanese printmaking, works such as this provide valuable evidence of the technical standards achieved during the late shin-hanga period. The print stands as both an artistic achievement and a testament to the remarkable craftsmanship of prewar Japanese workshops.
More prints by Bakufu Ohno:
Mebaru (Rockfish)
Bakufu Ohno (1888-1976)
SERIES: Familiar Fishes of Japan; Vol. 1 No. 7
MEDIUM: Woodblock Print
DATE: 1938
DIMENSIONS: 15 5/8 x 11 inches
CONDITION: Excellent; no problems to note
LITERATURE: Reita Hirase, Akira Tomita, Hiroko Shimizu, Art Portfolio of Fishes by Bakufu Ohno, 2013
SOLD
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Flying Fishes (Tobiuo)
Bakufu Ohno (1888-1976)
SERIES: Familiar Fishes of Japan
MEDIUM: Woodblock Print
DATE: 1938
DIMENSIONS: 11 x 15 5/8 inches
CONDITION: Excellent; no problems to note—tipped onto original presentation mat; not framed
LITERATURE: Reita Hirase, Akira Tomita, Hiroko Shimizu, Art Portfolio of Fishes by Bakufu Ohno, 2013, pl. 58
SOLD
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Lobster
Bakufu Ohno (1888–1976)
SERIES: Familiar Fishes of Japan Volume I
MEDIUM: Woodblock Print
DATE: 1938
DIMENSIONS: 11 1/8 × 15 ¾ inches
CONDITION: Excellent; vibrant and vivid colors; no problems to note
NOTE: Second edition
$950.00
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File-Fish (Kawahagi)
Bakufu Ohno (1888–1976)
SERIES: Familiar Fishes of Japan Volume I
MEDIUM: Woodblock Print
DATE: 1938
DIMENSIONS: 11 1/8 × 15 ¾ inches
CONDITION: Excellent; crisp impression with vivid color and silver mica background; no problems to note
NOTE: First edition, with publisher’s circle and rectangular seals
SOLD
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Flying Fish
Bakufu Ohno (1888–1976)
SERIES: Familiar Fishes of Japan Volume I
MEDIUM: Woodblock Print
DATE: 1938
DIMENSIONS: 11 1/8 × 15 ¾ inches
CONDITION: Excellent; crisp impression with vivid color and silver mica highlights; no problems to note
NOTE: First edition, with publisher’s circle and rectangular seals
SOLD
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Boxfish
Bakufu Ohno (1888–1976)
MEDIUM: Sumi on paper
DATE: 1940s
DIMENSIONS: 49 × 8 ½ inches (image), 73 × 9 ¾ inches with mount
CONDITION: Excellent; no problems to note
NOTE: Original painting mounted as a hanging scroll
RESERVED
Lobster (Iseebi)
Bakufu Ohno (1888–1976)
SERIES: Familiar Fishes of Japan, Volume I
MEDIUM: Woodblock print
DATE: 1937
DIMENSIONS: 10 × 15 inches
NOTE: First edition; gold metallic pigment
RESERVED
Bera
Bakufu Ohno (1888–1976)
SERIES: Familiar Fishes of Japan, Volume I
MEDIUM: Woodblock print
DATE: 1937
DIMENSIONS: 15 × 10 inches
CONDITION: Excellent; no problems to note
NOTE: First edition; gold and silver metallic pigment
RESERVED
Sea Bream (Tai)
Bakufu Ohno (1888–1976)
SERIES: Familiar Fishes of Japan, Volume I
MEDIUM: Woodblock print
DATE: 1937
DIMENSIONS: 15 × 10 inches
CONDITION: Excellent; no problems to note
NOTE: First edition; gold and silver metallic pigment
RESERVED
Sea Bream (Tai)
Bakufu Ohno (1888–1976)
SERIES: Familiar Fishes of Japan, Volume I
MEDIUM: Woodblock print
DATE: 1937
DIMENSIONS: 15 × 10 inches
CONDITION: Excellent; no problems to note
NOTE: First edition; gold and silver metallic pigment
SOLD
Carp (Koi)
Bakufu Ohno (1888–1976)
SERIES: Familiar Fishes of Japan, Volume I
MEDIUM: Woodblock print
DATE: 1937
DIMENSIONS: 10 × 15 inches
CONDITION: Excellent; no problems to note
NOTE: First edition; gold metallic pigment
RESERVED
Mackerel (Saba)
Bakufu Ohno (1888–1976)
SERIES: Familiar Fishes of Japan, Volume I
MEDIUM: Woodblock print
DATE: 1937
DIMENSIONS: 10 × 15 inches
CONDITION: Excellent; no problems to note
NOTE: First edition; silver metallic pigment
RESERVED
Brocade Carp (Higoi)
Bakufu Ohno (1888–1976)
SERIES: Familiar Fishes of Japan, Volume I
MEDIUM: Woodblock print
DATE: 1937
DIMENSIONS: 10 × 15 inches
CONDITION: Excellent; no problems to note
NOTE: First edition; gold metallic pigment
RESERVED
Sea Robin (Hobo)
Bakufu Ohno (1888–1976)
SERIES: Familiar Fishes of Japan, Volume I
MEDIUM: Woodblock print
DATE: 1937
DIMENSIONS: 10 × 15 inches
CONDITION: Excellent; no problems to note
NOTE: First edition; gold metallic pigment
RESERVED
Striped Isagi (Shimaisagi)
Bakufu Ohno (1888–1976)
SERIES: Familiar Fishes of Japan, Volume I
MEDIUM: Woodblock print
DATE: 1937
DIMENSIONS: 10 × 15 inches
CONDITION: Excellent; no problems to note
NOTE: First edition; silver and gold metallic pigment
RESERVED
File-Fish (Kawahagi)
Bakufu Ohno (1888–1976)
SERIES: Familiar Fishes of Japan, Volume I
MEDIUM: Woodblock print
DATE: 1938
DIMENSIONS: 10 × 15 inches
CONDITION: Excellent; no problems to note
NOTE: First edition; silver metallic pigment
RESERVED
File-Fish (Kawahagi)
Bakufu Ohno (1888–1976)
SERIES: Familiar Fishes of Japan, Volume I
MEDIUM: Woodblock print
DATE: 1938
DIMENSIONS: 10 × 15 inches
CONDITION: Excellent; no problems to note
NOTE: Early second edition; silver metallic pigment
RESERVED
Goldfish (Kingyo)
Bakufu Ohno (1888–1976)
SERIES: Familiar Fishes of Japan, Volume I
MEDIUM: Woodblock print
DATE: 1938
DIMENSIONS: 15 × 10 inches
CONDITION: Excellent; no problems to note
NOTE: First edition; silver metallic pigment
RESERVED
Crucian (Funa)
Bakufu Ohno (1888–1976)
SERIES: Familiar Fishes of Japan, Volume I
MEDIUM: Woodblock print
DATE: 1938
DIMENSIONS: 15 × 10 inches
CONDITION: Excellent; no problems to note
NOTE: First edition; gold metallic pigment
RESERVED
Flying Fish (Tobiuo)
Bakufu Ohno (1888–1976)
SERIES: Familiar Fishes of Japan, Volume I
MEDIUM: Woodblock print
DATE: 1938
DIMENSIONS: 10 × 15 inches
CONDITION: Excellent; no problems to note
NOTE: First edition; silver metallic pigment
SOLD
Flying Fish (Tobiuo)
Bakufu Ohno (1888–1976)
SERIES: Familiar Fishes of Japan, Volume I
MEDIUM: Woodblock print
DATE: 1938
DIMENSIONS: 10 × 15 inches
CONDITION: Excellent; no problems to note
NOTE: First edition; silver metallic pigment
RESERVED
Rainbow Trout (Nijimasu)
Bakufu Ohno (1888–1976)
SERIES: Familiar Fishes of Japan, Volume I
MEDIUM: Woodblock print
DATE: 1938
DIMENSIONS: 10 × 15 inches
CONDITION: Excellent; no problems to note
NOTE: First edition; silver metallic pigment
RESERVED
Rainbow Trout (Nijimasu)
Bakufu Ohno (1888–1976)
SERIES: Familiar Fishes of Japan, Volume I
MEDIUM: Woodblock print
DATE: 1938
DIMENSIONS: 10 × 15 inches
CONDITION: Excellent; no problems to note
NOTE: First edition; silver and gold metallic pigment
RESERVED
Rockfish (Mebaru)
Bakufu Ohno (1888–1976)
SERIES: Familiar Fishes of Japan, Volume I
MEDIUM: Woodblock print
DATE: 1938
DIMENSIONS: 10 × 15 inches
CONDITION: Excellent; no problems to note
NOTE: First edition; silver metallic pigment
RESERVED
Flounder Flatfish (Karei)
Bakufu Ohno (1888–1976)
SERIES: Familiar Fishes of Japan, Volume I
MEDIUM: Woodblock print
DATE: 1938
DIMENSIONS: 15 × 10 inches
CONDITION: Excellent; no problems to note
NOTE: First edition; gold metallic pigment
RESERVED
Flounder Flatfish (Karei)
Bakufu Ohno (1888–1976)
SERIES: Familiar Fishes of Japan, Volume I
MEDIUM: Woodblock print
DATE: 1938
DIMENSIONS: 15 × 10 inches
CONDITION: Excellent; no problems to note
NOTE: First edition; gold metallic pigment
RESERVED
Catfish (Namazu)
Bakufu Ohno (1888–1976)
SERIES: Familiar Fishes of Japan, Volume II
MEDIUM: Woodblock print
DATE: 1938
DIMENSIONS: 10 × 15 inches
CONDITION: Excellent; no problems to note
NOTE: First edition; silver metallic pigment
RESERVED
School of Higai Fish
Bakufu Ohno (1888–1976)
SERIES: Familiar Fishes of Japan, Volume II
MEDIUM: Woodblock print
DATE: 1939
DIMENSIONS: 10 × 15 inches
CONDITION: Excellent; no problems to note
NOTE: First edition; gold and silver metallic pigment
RESERVED
Oikawa
Bakufu Ohno (1888–1976)
SERIES: Familiar Fishes of Japan, Volume II
MEDIUM: Woodblock print
DATE: 1939
DIMENSIONS: 10 × 15 inches
CONDITION: Excellent; no problems to note
NOTE: First edition; gold and silver metallic pigment
RESERVED
c. 1930s
RESERVED
Carp (Koi)
Bakufu Ohno (1888–1976)
MEDIUM: Sumi and mineral pigment on paper
DATE: c. 1930s
DIMENSIONS: 17 × 20 inches (image), 52 x 26 inches with mount
CONDITION: Light staining in image
NOTE: Original painting mounted as a hanging scroll
RESERVED