Ichiyusaï (Utagawa) Kuniyoshi (1797-1861), rare complete album of Japanese prints, "Histoire de la véritable loyauté des fidèles samouraï", Seichu Gishi Den, 誠忠義士傳, Japan, Edo period, circa 1848 Ink and polychrome on paper, rare complete accordion-mounted album with paper cover, containing 51 prints, depicting the famous Chushingura characters. Some of the prints are from the edition whose plates are numbered in a circle, others from the unnumbered edition. The story recounts the adventures of forty-seven samurai who, over a period of several years, organized an act of revenge in memory of their master, who was forced to commit the ritual suicide of seppuku after a conspiracy designed to humiliate him. Appearing in reading order from right to left: Kô no Musashi no Kami Moronao (高野武蔵守師直), "the historic Kira Yoshinaka, in court attire, beginning to grow alarmed". Enya Hangwan Takasada (塩谷判官高貞), "the historic Asano Naganoriin, in court attire, but bareheaded, in a threatening posture". Then come: Ôboshi Yuranosuke Yoshio (大星由良之助良雄), Ôboshi Rikiya Yoshikane (大星力弥良金), Oribe Yahei Kanamaru (織部矢兵衛金丸), Yoshida Chûzaemon Kanesuke (芳田忠左衛門兼亮), Mase Magoshirô Masatatsu (間勢孫四郎正辰), Mase Chûdayû Masa-aki (間瀬宙太夫正明), Yoshida Sadaemon Kanesada (吉田定右衛門兼貞), Yukugawa Sampei Munenori (行川三平宗則), Senzaki Yagorô Noriyasu (千崎矢五郎則休), Isoai Juroemon Masahisa (磯合重郎右衛門正久), Kiura Okaemon Sadayuki (木浦岡右衛門貞行), Ôtaka Gengo Tadao (大鷹玄吾忠雄), Yazama Shinroku Mitsukaze (矢間真六光風), Uramatsu Handayûi Takanao (浦松半太夫高直), Shikamatsu Kanroku Yukishige (鹿松諫六行重), Tomimori Suke-emon Masakata (富守祐右衛正固), Tokuda Magodayû Shigemori (徳田孫太夫重盛), Ôboshi Seizaemon Nobukiyo (大星清左衛門信清), Miura Jiroemon Kanetsune (三浦治郎左衛門包常), Yazama Kihei Mitsunobu (矢間喜兵光延), Yata Gorôemon Suketake (矢多五郎右衛門祐武), Ushioda Masanojô Takanori (潮田政之丞高教), Onodera Tôemon Hidetome (小野寺幸右衛門秀富), Yadaemon Tomonobu (申斐田弥左衛門友信), Hara Gôemon Mototoki (原郷右衛門元辰), Hayami Sôzaemon Mitsutaka (早水総左衛門満尭), Sugenoya Sannojô Masatoshi (菅屋三之丞正利), Uramatsu Kihei Hidenao Nyûdô Ryûen (浦松半喜兵衛), Onodera Jûnai Hidetomo (小野寺重内秀和), Okano Ginemon Kanehide (岡野銀右衛門包秀), Kurahashi Zensuke Takeyuki (蔵橋全助武幸), Sumino Chûheiji Tsugifusa (角野重平次次房), Oribe Yasubei Taketsune (織部易兵衛武庸), Katsuta Shinemon Taketaka (勝多真左衛門武尭), Aihara Esuke Munefusa (相原伊助宗房), Hayano Wasuke Tsunenari (早野輪助常成), Okajima Yasôemon Tsunetatsu (岡島弥惣右衛門常樹), Nakamura Kansuke Tadatoki (中村諫助尾辰), Takebayashi Sadashichi Takashige (竹林定七隆重), Yatô Yomoshichi Norikane(加藤與茂七教兼), Yazama Jûjirô Moto-oki (矢間重次郎元與), Fuwa Katsuemon Masatane (不羽勝右衛門正種), Kataoka Dengoemon Takafusa (片岡傳五右衛門高房), Sakagaki Genzô Masakata (阪垣源蔵正堅), Chiba Saburôhei Mitsutada (千葉三郎平溝忠), Tokuda Sadaemon Yukitaka (徳田貞右衛門行高), Hayano Kampei Tsuneyo (早野勘平常世), Teraoka Heiemon Nobuyuki (寺岡平右衛門信行), Shikamatsu Kanroku kaboku Jinzaburô (鹿松諫六家僕 塵三郎), "the servant of Shikamatsu Kanroku Jinzaburô". This last print, instead of being numbered, bears in a circle the word 大尾 meaning "the end". On the sixth print, the text to the left of the figure and to the right of Kuniyoshi's signature indicates that the series was begun in August 1847 and completed on January 20, 1848. Publisher: Ebiya Rinnosuke (Ebi-Rin seal). 25.5 x 35.9 cm The prints are lined, some stained with wormholes. Provenance : Mes Bellier et Ader sale, A. Bouasse-Lebel Collection. Bouasse-Lebel Collection, Hôtel Drouot, November 22, 1949, lot 457.