Juda Collection of Japanese Prints to Be Shown at Auction Preview

An auction preview of 20th century Japanese woodcut prints from the Los Angeles-based collection of the late Felix and Helen Juda will be presented at Christie’s Beverly Hills on Tuesday and Wednesday. The collection of more than 1,000 prints--billed as the finest and most comprehensive holding of its kind in private hands--will go on the block at Christie’s New York on April 22. The auction house has estimated that the sale will bring $2.3 million to $2.8 million.

Among highlights are Munakata Shiko’s “In Praise of Flower Hunting,” valued at $100,000 to $150,000, and 11 works from his series “The Ten Great Disciples of the Buddha,” expected to fetch $20,000 to $30,000 each. Prints from Onchi Koshiro’s series “Beauties of the Four Seasons” are estimated at $40,000 to $60,000 each.

Felix Juda, who died in 1997, was senior vice president of the investment banking firm Sutro & Co. He and his wife, Helen, who died in 1995, started their collection in 1961 after their first visit to Tokyo and Kyoto. They returned to Japan many times, visiting artists’ studios and building a large holding of prints, some of which they donated to the Los Angeles County Museum of Art. They also made their collection available at their home to university classes and museum support groups. During 1971-77, the Judas published the “Newsletter on Contemporary Japanese Prints” for worldwide distribution to collectors and scholars.

The preview exhibition, at 360 N. Camden Drive, is open from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. Information: (310) 385-2600.