Japanese woodblock prints (ukiyo-e) by artists such as Hokusai, Hiroshige, Kuniyoshi, Utamaro, and Yoshitoshi are among the most collected works on paper in the world. Because originals can be extremely valuable, the market is flooded with modern restrikes, Meiji- and Taishō-era reprints, digital reproductions, tourist copies, and artificially aged counterfeits. Accurate authentication requires expert analysis of carving traits, paper fibers, pigment behavior, seals, impression depth, and historical printing techniques.
DJR Expert Guide Series, Vol. 445 — Real vs. Fake: Detecting Counterfeit Japanese Woodblock Prints teaches the complete professional workflow used by appraisers, collectors, museums, and dealers to distinguish authentic period impressions from modern reproductions.
Inside, you’ll learn how experts:
Identify Edo, Meiji, Taishō & Shōwa printing traits and materials
Distinguish hand-carved block lines from photomechanical or digital prints
Evaluate traditional washi fibers, aging patterns & paper translucence
Analyze pigment absorption, fading behavior & natural vs. synthetic colors
Recognize mica backgrounds, embossing & multi-block registration traits
Interpret publisher seals, censor marks, artist signatures & series identifiers
Detect posthumous editions, authorized restrikes & 20th-century reprints
Identify artificially aged tourist pieces, fake wormholes & forced distress
Spot inkjet, offset & digital reproductions under magnification
Use margins, trimming, and binding remnants to assess authenticity
Compare prints accurately to museum-verified exemplars
Understand value factors across periods, series, rarity & condition
Whether evaluating a Hokusai Thirty-Six Views, a Hiroshige Tōkaidō print, or a Kuniyoshi warrior sheet, this guide provides the complete methodology needed to authenticate Japanese woodblock prints confidently.
Digital Download — PDF • 7 Pages • Instant Access
Japanese woodblock prints (ukiyo-e) by artists such as Hokusai, Hiroshige, Kuniyoshi, Utamaro, and Yoshitoshi are among the most collected works on paper in the world. Because originals can be extremely valuable, the market is flooded with modern restrikes, Meiji- and Taishō-era reprints, digital reproductions, tourist copies, and artificially aged counterfeits. Accurate authentication requires expert analysis of carving traits, paper fibers, pigment behavior, seals, impression depth, and historical printing techniques.
DJR Expert Guide Series, Vol. 445 — Real vs. Fake: Detecting Counterfeit Japanese Woodblock Prints teaches the complete professional workflow used by appraisers, collectors, museums, and dealers to distinguish authentic period impressions from modern reproductions.
Inside, you’ll learn how experts:
Identify Edo, Meiji, Taishō & Shōwa printing traits and materials
Distinguish hand-carved block lines from photomechanical or digital prints
Evaluate traditional washi fibers, aging patterns & paper translucence
Analyze pigment absorption, fading behavior & natural vs. synthetic colors
Recognize mica backgrounds, embossing & multi-block registration traits
Interpret publisher seals, censor marks, artist signatures & series identifiers
Detect posthumous editions, authorized restrikes & 20th-century reprints
Identify artificially aged tourist pieces, fake wormholes & forced distress
Spot inkjet, offset & digital reproductions under magnification
Use margins, trimming, and binding remnants to assess authenticity
Compare prints accurately to museum-verified exemplars
Understand value factors across periods, series, rarity & condition
Whether evaluating a Hokusai Thirty-Six Views, a Hiroshige Tōkaidō print, or a Kuniyoshi warrior sheet, this guide provides the complete methodology needed to authenticate Japanese woodblock prints confidently.
Digital Download — PDF • 7 Pages • Instant Access
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