Wood Block Prints
Wood block prints have been a popular Japanese art form for hundreds of years. Over the years since world war II many of them have found their way to the USA. My wife and I bought four of them at a small town art shop in southern Minnesota in the early 1970's. The seller had been stationed in Japan and brought them back with him.
We, of course, can't read Japanese and bought them because they were pretty and seemed exotic. We never did get them framed so they are still stored in the wrapping they came home in. That of course is the opportunity.
Like any work of art, the value of Japanese wood block prints rests on the fame of the artist. As buyers/importers of these items age and their collections are sold at estate auctions, the potential for "sleepers" to show up on Ebay is very high. For a collector who knows Japanese and has taken the time to become knowledgeable about the signatures there is an excellent opportunity to pick up something rare and old for very little. Relisted with an accurate and authoratative description I think this could be quite profitable.
Listed below are current Ebay auctions for Japanese wood block pints. If you click one of the links you will go directly to that item on Ebay.