Posted by Irwin (75.164.163.128) on January 18, 2011 at 23:46:15:
Hi,
I've been struggling to read the cartouche which identifies the building pictured in the top print of these two 1881 Kunitoshi Tokyo scenic view prints. What I've determined so far is that the Tokyo area being portrayed in the topmost print is likely Kakigara cho in Nihonbashi-ku. The left-most vertical cartouche identifies the Suitengu Shrine, I believe. The vertical cartouche next to the tower on the building has several characters I cannot read. Is it possible this building is the Grain or Rice Trading Center?
For the horizontal cartouche in the top print, I've come up with
市町蛎名東 top line
場米売?亰 bottom line
although I am suspicious that some of my printed characters are not the same as the written kanji.
Am I correct in thinking the bottom print is portraying Etai Bridge?
Images of cartouches and prints can be found at
http://picasaweb.google.com/irwin.lavenberg/Kunitoshi?feat=directlink
Thanks!
Irwin