Seeing a woodblock print for the first time at the Art Institute of Chicago years ago spurred so many questions.  These questions ultimately led down a path of admiring and ultimately collecting these beautiful pieces of art.  However, like many new to collecting, I struggled with basic questions like how do I properly store these safely?  How do I know what I'm purchasing is real?  Why are there different publisher seals?

WHY WOODBLOCK PRINTS?

There’s not many, if any, original artworks that you can personally own and also see at reputable museums worldwide.  Aesthetic beauty aside, woodblock prints also provide a historically solid financial investment and help to diversify your portfolio.  Best of all, with woodblock prints you get to see and enjoy your investment while it continues to grow in value.

This guide aims to provide beginners with essential knowledge on how to start their collection, where to buy prints, how to care for them, and understanding artist values.

Before we dive into purchasing options, I feel it's important to highlight an example of risk in purchasing especially for a beginner.

The above print, Hasui's "Konjiki Hall at Hiraizumi", was listed for auction in early 2025 and this print surely caught the attention of collectors when it posted.  A rarely seen final print of Hasui with the zeppitsu seal  is typically one of Hasui's highest priced prints.   And the red flags immediately went off:

• Rarity of the print itself; especially with the zeppitsu seal

• Unknown auction house with little auction history

• No sign of age or wear

Upon examining the photos it became abundantly clear this was not actually a woodblock print and likely a museum quality lithograph. The dead give-away was the embossment in the lower left corner.

And this is the most important point I want to drive home: most action houses will not purposefully deceive, but sometimes it happens unintentionally.  Upon emailing the auction house with my concern they pulled the print from auction and thus saved someone from making a very expensive mistake.  Regardless, this is a prime example and reason to be scrupulous in your pursuit of modern woodblock prints.

Japanese Woodblock Dealer

Reputable dealers are the most reliable source for purchasing authentic Japanese woodblock prints. These dealers often have extensive knowledge and can provide valuable information about the prints they sell. Purchasing art through a dealer who specializes in Japanese prints is by far the lowest risk option available to consumers.

PROS

• Authenticity Guaranteed
• Refund policy 
• Immediate purchase of desires prints
• Clear photos
• Expert knowledge for any questions
• Safe and secure shipping
• Sell your unwanted prints
• Payment plans

CONS

• Generally higher priced than other options 

AUCTION HOUSE

Auctions are a high risk avenue for acquiring Japanese woodblock prints.  It's advisable to study auction catalogs and attend previews to familiarize yourself with the prints available and their estimated values.  Many of the reputable auction houses such as Sotheby's, Christies, Bonhams, and Heritage will conduct woodblock print specific auctions a few times per year.  However, the price at these (see Tennoji Temple above) will likely sell for substantially more than dealers and still come with additional risks.  While most auctions are conducted in good-faith, be wary that some are purposefully deceptive.

PROS

• (Potentially) Lower priced prints than reputable dealers

CONS

• Zero return policy
• Substantial buyer's premium
• High shipping costs
• Extended delay from winning to shipping to receiving
• Tedious payment and shipping process
• Most lack in-house woodblock print experts to answer questions
• Potentially hidden flaws or damage
• Uncertainty around winning desired print(s)

EBAY

eBay can be a useful platform for finding Japanese woodblock prints, especially for those on limited budgets or are content with modern reproductions. Ensure that the seller has positive feedback and can provide detailed information and images of the print. Ebay is a high risk option so be wary of reproductions and fakes, which are common on eBay. Educating yourself about the characteristics of authentic prints will help you make informed decisions.

PROS

• Potentially cheaper prints
• Easy payment and shipping*

CONS

• Potentially hidden flaws or damage
• High risk for beginner's due to fakes and reproductions being offered in high frequency
• *Shipping by non-experts increases the likelihood of damage occurring

Proper Care and storage

Preserving the condition of your Japanese woodblock prints is essential to maintain their value and beauty. Here are some tips for proper care and storage:

Handling
Always handle prints with clean hands or wear cotton gloves to prevent oils and dirt from damaging the paper. Avoid touching the printed areas directly, as this can cause smudging or fading.  Use a blunt device for turning over or picking up prints to avoid creasing or tearing your print.

Framing
Framing your prints with archival-quality materials is crucial for their preservation. Use acid-free mats and UV-protective glass to prevent discoloration and damage from light exposure. Ensure that the frame is appropriately sized and that the print is not in direct contact with the glass.  We recommend using a framer familiar with wheat paste starch for hinges as it is easily removeable if you decide to sell the print in the future.

Storage
If framing your prints, ensure to avoid hanging in direct sunlight (UV resistant glass will not completely protect from fading if placed in direct sun).  If not displaying your prints, store them in a cool, dry, and dark environment. Use acid-free folders and place them in a flat storage box. Avoid storing prints in basements or attics, where temperature and humidity fluctuations can cause damage.
We use the below archival folder and box to store our prints.
        www.gaylord.com
 

REseARCH

Thoroughly research your prints before deciding to purchase.  Compare the colors, impression, signatures, and publisher seals of your potential purchase to reliable sources.   Noticing differences that are hard to explain?  I always err on the side of caution and walk away from prospects that raise red flags. What’s more likely- you’ve uncovered an original, one-of-a-kind print with special characteristics OR you’re about to buy a fake or reproduction?

There’s a long list of museums that make woodblock prints available for the public online.  Most museums with large collections, like the Carnegie in Pittsburgh or VMFA in Richmond, will have modern woodblock exhibits so pay attention to their schedules.

                              Art Institute of Chicago: Artic.edu

                             Carnegie Museum of Art: collection.carnegieart.org/objects/

                             Virginia Museum of Fine Arts: vmfa.museum

Investing in research books is the best way to ensure you are properly educated and help insulate yourself from purchasing mistakes.  Below is a list of books for starting out.  This is by no means a complete list, just some good books to get you started. 

The below catalogue raisonné provide collector's with a comprehensive listing of all known works for each artist.  These also include dates, titles, and known editions.  While some of these can be expensive they are well worth the investment and highly recommended.

Print Valuations

The main factors that determine the value of a print: artist, condition/impression, rarity, subject, and edition.  Each are important in their own right, but perhaps the most perplexing is the edition.

Most publishers (Watanabe, Doi) created multiple editions, or states, of each of their prints.  Hasui, for instance, might have 4 or more editions for some prints.  The earlier the edition the more valuable the print.

And the difference in value can be substantial.  An early ‘A’ type edition of Hasui’s “Zojoji Temple” might retail for $30-40K while a later edition with a round 6mm seal might only be $5-7K. 

So how do we determine the edition?

Unless an artist self-published their prints, the most common way is by the publisher seal.  The publisher seals provide a general timeframe of when the print was created.  With Watanabe prints, it can be assumed an ‘A’ type seal is earlier than a ‘B’ and so forth. 

Information regarding seals for two most common publishers of shin hanga era, Watanabe Shozaburo and Doi Hangaten,  can easily be found online and in many of the reference books.