Unso-do Co., Ltd (Publisher):
Process of Printing Wood Engraving (Mokuhan Suritate Junjo), Kyoto, distributed The Red lantern Shop, Kyoto, 8vo (6 7/8 x 9 3/4 in - 17.5 x 24.7 cm), not dated but believed to be ca 1956, paper over cardboard boards, paste on title on front board, edges beveled, English text with some text also in Japanese, accordion fold-out style booklet with pages jointed at the outer edge, 11 pages attached at the fore-edge, 22 pages total, accompanied by a 4 page loose insert with text and illustrations. This book illustrations the color woodblock printing process using a Utamaro print from "One of Twelve Sketches of Handicraft Arts for Women." The image shows two women cooking and one of them is cutting with a knife.

The pages to the left are numbered and explain and illustrate the individual steps (woodblock impressions) as the print moves to completion. The first page after the title page describes the illustration and starts the process with the "Out Line Printing." The page to the right contains the black and white key block. After the key block, the left page has the next woodblock impression applied and the page to the right shows the cumulative state of the print. The woodblock progresses from the outline/key block through the application of 9 additional woodblock impressions. In total the book is created by using 10 woodblocks (key block and 9 additional blocks).

The front of the first page has a woodblock printed title identical to the paste on label on the front board. The back of the last page has a paste on label stating:

• "Published by Unso-Do Co., Teramachi, Nijyo, Kyoto, Japan."

    or

• "The Red Lantern Shop, Specialists in Fine Japanese Prints, Old & Modern, 236 Shimmonzen St, Higashiyama-ku, Kyoto, Japan."

Occasionally, the book is accompanied by a loose four page text and illustration insert titled "The Japanese Wood-cut Prints." The last page states "Published by Unso-do Co., Ltd, Nijo Teramachi, Kyoto, Japan." The insert is a single sheet of glossy paper printed front and back and folded. There are no references to Unso-do actually printed on the book. The insert is often missing from the book. Thus far, I have only found the insert in books with the Red Lantern Shop label.

Other versions of this book may have been published. I have seen it described with the impressions of 13 blocks. The book described on this page has the impressions of 10 blocks.

The Completed Woodblock

    Title Page
    

1.  Out Line Printing
    


2.  Red color for lips
    


3.  Yellow color for round fan and Kitchen-knife
    


4.  Light brown for dressing table
    


5.  Gray color for Kimono
    


6.  Red color for lantern and Tasuki (for hanging sleeves)
    


7.  Blue color for Noren (shop-curtain), Obi and Kimono
    


8.  Deep-blue for towel and design of Kimono
    


9.  The finishing touch of black for hair dress
    


10. Light gray for back ground
    



    Unso-do Paste on Label
    


    The Red Lantern Paste-on Label
    



    Accompanying Insert (1st of 4 pages)
    
    Click here to see all four pages.
    (Found in book with "Red Lantern" paste on label

 
Books/Folios With Actual Color Woodblock Prints Illustrating the Process of Color Woodblock Printing:

• 1907, Process of Wood-Cut Printing, The Shimbi Shoin, Tokyo, 127 pairs of prints.
• 1907, Process of Wood-Cut Printing Explained, The Shimbi Shoin, Tokyo
• c1916-1938, Process of Wood-Cut Printing Explained, (Two Ladies in a Boat), The Shimbi Shoin, Tokyo, more information here.
• c1920, Process of Wood-Cut Printing Explained (Lady Fishing), The Shimbi Shoin, Tokyo, more information here.
• 1932, Multi-Coloured WoodBlocks (Beauty Playing with a Cat), The Shimbi Shoin, Tokyo, more information here (30 color blocks).
• c1938, The Process of Wood-Cut Printing, Asaksa Temple, Doi Hangaten, Tokyo, more information here.
• c1940, Process of Wood-block Printing, Nishinomiya & Hasegawa, Inc, Tokyo, more information here.
• c1950, The Process of Wood-block Color Printing (Woman in Snow with Umbrella), Takamizawa Mokubansha., Tokyo, more information here.
• c1950, The Process of Wood-block Color Printing (Young Lovers Walking Together under an Umbrella), Takamizawa Mokubansha., Tokyo, more information here.
• c1950, Japanese Woodblock Prints, Uchida Wood Block Printing Co. Ltd, Kyoto, more information here.
• c1950, The Process of Color-Block Printing (Fuji and Trees), S. Watanabe, Tokyo (Ginza), more information here.
• c1950, The Process of Color-Block Printing (Fuji and Wave), S. Watanabe, Tokyo (Ginza), more information here.
• c1953, Process of Wood-block Printing (Fuji and Wave), probably Nishinomiya/Hasegawa, Tokyo, more information here.
• c1953, Process of Wood-block Printing (Winter Scene with Temple & Lantern), probably Nishinomiya/Hasegawa, Tokyo, more information here.
• c1956, Process of Printing Wood Engraving, Unso-do Co., Kyoto, Harunobu, woman beating cloth, more information here.
• c1956, Process of Printing Wood Engraving, Unso-do Co., Kyoto, Utamaro, two women cooking from "One of Twelve Sketches of Handicraft Arts for Women," more information here.
• c1956, Process of Printing Wood Engraving, Unso-do Co., Kyoto, Utamaro, two women weaving cloth from "One of Twelve Sketches of Handicraft Arts for Women," more information here.
• c1956, Process of Printing Wood Engraving, Unso-do Co., Kyoto, Utamaro, "Waitress Okita from the Naniwaya Tearoom," more information here.
• c1956, The Japanese Wood-Print, Unso-do Co., Kyoto, pamphlet discussing history of the Japanese wood-print and the implements/methods of manufacture, more information here.
• c1963 The Process of Wood-block Color Printing, (Hiroshige's "Night Scene at Kambara"), H. Nakazawa, Tokyo, more information here.
• c1970, Process Book of Woodblock Printing (Walking in Snow), Uchida Uchida Art Co., Ltd., more information here.
• c1970, Process Book of Woodblock Printing (Two Children Playing), Uchida Uchida Art Co., Ltd., more information here.

 
Woodblock Print Books Available for Purchase (Process Books):

• 1932, Multi-Coloured WoodBlocks, (Beauty Playing with a Cat), The Shimbi Shoin, purchase here.
• 1938, Process of Wood-Cut Printing Explained, (Two Ladies in a Boat), The Shimbi Shoin, purchase here.
• c1956, Process of Printing Wood Engraving, Unso-do, Kyoto, Harunobu Suzuki, woman beating cloth, purchase here.
• c1956, Process of Printing Wood Engraving, Unso-do, Kyoto, Two Women Cooking from "One of Twelve Sketches of Handicraft Arts for Women," purchase here.
• c1970, Process Book of Woodblock Printing, Walking in the Snow, Uchida Uchida Art Co., Ltd., reddish brown boards, purchase here.

 
Miscellaneous Woodblock Print Books and Folios Available for Purchase (Other than Process Books):

• c1960, The Tokaido Fifty Three Stations by Hiroshige, Unso-do, Kyoto, purchase here.
• c1960, The Thirty Six Views of Mount Fuji by Hokusai, Unso-do, Kyoto, purchase here (Fine/Fine).
• c1960, The Thirty Six Views of Mount Fuji by Hokusai, Unso-do, Kyoto, purchase here (Fine/Very Good).
• c1960, Twelve Months of Kyoto, (folio of 12 woodblock prints), Uchida Wood Block Printing Co., Ltd, Kyoto, Tokuriki Tomikichiro, purchase here.
• c1960, Four Seasons of Tokyo, (folio of 4 woodblock prints with presentation folder) Uchida Wood Block Printing Co., Ltd, Kyoto, Tokuriki Tomikichiro, purchase here.
• c1960, Four Seasons of Tokyo, (folio of 4 woodblock prints without presentation folder) Uchida Wood Block Printing Co., Ltd, Kyoto, Tokuriki Tomikichiro, purchase here.