Posted by Thomas Crossland on December 30, 1997 at 08:15:17:
Most of the Japanese prints I have purchased are printed on a type of paper that when held up backwards to a light reveals very narrow, evenly-spaced parallel "white/transparent" lines vertically about every inch. What type of paper is this, and specifically, can it be used to help date/authenticate a print? Do you know over what time/date period was this paper produced/available? (I have heard that many of Hiroshige's prints were reproduced--known as "fukusei"--at a much later date than the originals--often from newly cut blocks. Apparently this practice was widespread during about 1895 to 1905??) Can paper type help us out here? Thanks very much for your insights to this most fascinating pursuit.