Monday, July 28, 2014

Taisho Posters

The images below are Japanese posters 
from ~the first quarter of the 20th century.

"The Taisho period^ (???? Taisho jidai?), or Taisho era, is a period in the history of Japan dating from July 30, 1912, to December 25, 1926, coinciding with the reign of the Emperor Taisho". Some of the posters carry over to the early Showa era: Emperor Showa (Hirohito)^ reigned from 1926 to 1989.



commercial print of woman holding ink bottle
Title: Puraton mannenhitshu: Puraton inki [Woman with an ink bottle]
Description: A woman holding an ink bottle. Nakayama Taiyodo. Platon ink and pen (???????, ???????).
Subject (company): Nakayama Taiyodo; ?????



Japanese lithograph of Cuttlefish with typographic advertisement overlay
Title: Shinshin chinka Kattoru = Cuttlefish [Cuttlefish] ????????
Description: A cuttlefish. "Cuttle" or "Cuttle Fish" (a snack), Chishima-ya Shoten (?????).
Subject (Company): Snack foods



yellow bird of paradise lithograph advertising poster
Title: Nan'yo Yusen Kabushiki Kaisha = Nanyo Yusen Kaisha = South Sea Mail S. S. Co., Ltd. [Bird]
Description: A tropical yellow bird flying over the ocean.
Subject (Company): Nan'yo Yusen Kabushiki Kaisha; ????????



illustration of stylised lillies as part of advertising poster for a Japanese bank
Title: Chochiku wa ne no gotoku, heiwa wa hana no gotoshi [Lillies] ???????, ???????
Description: Chochiku, chokin (Savings)
Subject (Company): Japan. Teinshinsho; Japan. ???



stylised graphic poster featuring candle and words in Kanji script
Title: Kan'i hoken: issunsaki wa yami [Candle] ????:?????
Description: Kan'i Hoken (Postal life insurance).
Subject (Company): Japan. Teinshinsho; Japan. ???



ukioy-e print in colour of woman in traditional Japanese costume walking, with small crowd behind watching her
Title: Kabushiki Kaisha Tokyo Tsukiji Kappan Seizosho = The Tokyo Tsukiji Type Foundry, Ltd. [Goddess] ?????????????
Description: A goddess holding a musical instrument. Tokyo Tsukiji Type Foundry, Ltd. (?????????). Marked with "H" [Hirano, Tomiji ?????].
Subject (Company): Foundries



Japanese colour print of coast beach with crane flying above - advertising poster
Title: Santo Tetsudo [Cranes] ????
Description: Cranes flying over Shantung. Santo Tetsudo. Shantung Railway Administration in the Chintao Garrison Army. Marked with [Shantung Railway's logo?]. ???????????.
Subject (Company): Railroad Companies



lady in red kimono holding fan - Japanese steamship advertising poster
Title: Osaka Shosen Kaisha = Osaka Mercantile Steamship Co., Ltd. [Woman in red kimono]
Description: Osaka Mercantile Steamship Co. Ltd. A woman in red kimono holding a fan. Marked with the company's symbol, a flag with a character "?."
Subject (Company): O�saka Sho�sen Kabushiki Kaisha ????????



Japanese poster for graphic art exhibition 1920s - abstract face and typography
Title: Monbusho shusai Insatsu Bunka Tenrankai = The Graphic Art Exposition: kaiki Taisho junen kugatsu nijugonichi yori jugatsu nijugonichi made = from 25th September to 25th October, 1921: kaijo Tokyo Hongo Ocha no Mizu Tokyo Hakubutsukan [Insatsu Bunka Tenrankai] ????????????: ?????????????????????: ???????????????
Description: Graphic Art Exposition - Insatsu Bunka Tenrankai, held at Tokyo Hakabutsukan, September 25 - October 25, 1921.
Subject (Company): Exhibitions / Tokyo



biplane illustration in Japanese advert, early 20th century
Title: Kuko Hakurankai = The First Aero Show: kaicho Danshaku Shigeno Kiyotake, shusai Kuko Hakurankai Kumiai: kaijo Kyushu Beppu Onsenjo, kaiki Taisho junen sangatsu jugonichi yori gogatsu jusannichi made [Airplane] ?????: ????????, ?????????: ?????????, ??????????????????
Description: First Aero Show, held in Kyushu, March 15 - May 13, 1921, and chaired by Baron Shigeno Kiyotake (????).
Subject (Company): Shigeno, Kiyotake, 1882-1924 ????, 1882-1924



3 Japanese woman in kimonos at edge of beach near waves with ship in distance
Title: Nippon Yusen Kaisha = Japan Mail Steamship Co. [Three ukiyo-e women]
Description: Three Ukiyoe women in kimono standing at the shore
Subject (Company): Nihon Yusen Kabushiki Kaisha ????????



colour printed poster of tall thin pagoda with tree and deer in foreground - tourist poster for Japan
Title: Japan Tourist Bureau [Five-story pagoda]
Description: A deer, a pagoda, and pine trees.
Subject (Company): Nihon Kotsu Kosha Japan Tourist Bureau ?????? (Railroad Companies)



Japanese woman in kimono looking intently at us, the audience; opalescent face
Title: Dai Nippon Seito Kabushiki Kaisha [Woman in black kimono] ?????????
Description: A woman in black kimono. Sugar refining company.
Subject (Company): Dai Nippon Seito Kabushiki Kaisha; ?????????



tall thin printed poster in colour dominated by crane standing on one leg
Title: Tsuru no Tamago Sekken [White crane] ?????
Description: A white crane. Tsuru no Tamago Sekken (soap). Asai Shiten (????)
Subject (Company): Cosmetics--Manufacture



advertising poster about travel with traditional Japanese woman in kimono and umbrella off to one side
Title: Asia via Honolulu from San Francisco to the Orient: 5 great sister ships [Woman with an umbrella]
Description: An American steamship company
Subject (Company): Pacific Mail Steamship Company



poster: top half is crane with outstretched wings + bottom half has maps of Japan and Japanese locales
Title: Tetsudoin Un'yukyoku [Crane] ??????
Description: A crane and railway maps of Japan. The Transportation Division of the Railway Bureau
Subject (Company): Japan. Tetsudo�sho�. Un'yukyoku Japan. ???. ?b ???



poster in colour with young Japanese lady in head band holding open a fan with a ship silhouetted in the sun of a Japanese flag - advertising poster
Title: Toyo Kisen Kaisha = Oriental Steam-Ship Company [Woman with a fan]
Description: A woman in blue kimono holding a fan
Subject (Company): To�yo� Kisen Kabushiki Kaisha ????????



The University of Southern California's Digital Library display a series of early 20th century Japanese posters, contributed by USC's East Asian Library.

The poster topics in the collection include: travel, Ministry of Communications, commercial products and companies, and expositions.

Thanks to Will C!
This post first appeared on the BibliOdyssey website.
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