Hints to Collectors of Ukiyo-ye Gems.
O truly appreciate Japanese prints, a knowledge of the language of the block must first be acquired, then the pursuit has an indescribable charm, inexplicable excepting to the initiated, but to those who have fallen under the spell, the love of Ukiyo-ye gems becomes a veritable passion. The collector of old prints must be guided in his selection by the quality of the paper, which should be soft and vibrant, the fibrous tentacles upon its surface often forming shadows where it has been exposed to the dust. The register must be perfect, each colour being confined absolutely to its prescribed space. Perfection in the register is an infallible guide, and prints with a perfect register will increase in value. The colours must be soft and melting, in many cases one tone shading into another, not harshly determined by the lines of the block, as in even the most beautiful reproductions. The florid colouring of the later impressions by the Hiroshige are notable examples of the deterioration caused by the use of cheap pigments and the haste of the printer who had to supply the increasing demand for cheap pictures.
There are often exquisite examples of colouring to be found among the later impressions from the old blocks, but the lovely colours and nuances of colours conjured by the artists, designers and printers in loving collaboration, before commercialism had invaded Japan, can never be seen again, even as the disciples of William Morris seem unable to reproduce the beautiful shades which the genius of the master workman evolved from the dyeing-vat.