Page 68 - Fine Japanese Art March 27, 2020 Galerie Zacke Netsuke and Okimono

60 | MASAKAZU: AN
IVORY NETSUKE
OF TEKKAI SENNIN
By Masakazu, signed Masakazu
Japan, Osaka, first half of 19th
century, Edo period (1615-1868)

A small, extremely fine figurine of
Tekkai Sennin with a beautifully
expressive face. He is holding his
cane behind his back and is looking
downwards exclaiming. His pupils
are minutely inlaid with dark, almost
black horn. Signature MASAKAZU
正一 in the characteristic rounded
reserve. Beautiful staining and
polish, and large asymmetrical
himotoshi.
HEIGHT 3.9 cm

Condition: Excellent condition.
Provenance: English private
collection.
Estimate EUR 1.000,-
Starting price EUR 500,-

62 | OHARA MITSUHIRO: A FINE NETSUKE OF
TSUITATE WITH DARUMA AND PINE TREE

61 | AN OSAKA SCHOOL By Ohara Mitsuhiro (1810-1875), signed Mitsuhiro
IVORY NETSUKE Japan, Osaka, mid-19th century, Edo period (1615-1868)
OF DARUMA
Unsigned The Tsuitate (standing screen) carved on one side with an image
Japan, Osaka, first half of 19th of a grim, pensive Daruma against a finely stippled ishime ground.
century, Edo period (1615-1868) The other side with a beautifully carved pine tree, against the same
stippled ground, and next to the signature in a wavy polished
reserve MITSUHIRO 光廣. The ivory is typically stained, and the area
An amusing and tactile ivory separating the two sides of the screen is executed in ishime as
netsuke depicting Daruma almost well. The underside shows the two arched feet on which the screen
completely enveloped in his robe, stands on and one himotoshi, the other ingeniously worked into a
only his face is visible with a slightly ‘natural’ opening of the pine tree.
disgruntled expression and inlaid
eyes of dark horn. The ivory is finely HEIGHT 3.5 cm
stained, and his robe is incised with
scrolling leafy vines. The underside Condition: Excellent condition.
with himotoshi. Provenance: French private collection, acquired from an
Anonymous Sale, Sotheby’s, 12 December 2002 London, lot 323.
LENGTH 3.5 cm
Auction comparison: For a related netsuke, showing the same
Condition: Good condition with age stippled pattern and an identical style of the signature see
cracks. Bonhams, The Julius and Arlette Katchen Collection of Fine Netsuke
Provenance: British collection. Part I, 8 November 2016, London, lot 154.
Estimate EUR 800,- Estimate EUR 4.000,-
Starting price EUR 400,- Starting price EUR 2.000,-

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