Page 18 - Bonhams Fine Japanese Art London November 2018

24 27 Y
A LARGE BOAR-TUSK NETSUKE A BOXWOOD NETSUKE OF A WILDCAT
By Jack Coutu (1924-2017), English, carved in January 1984 By Jack Coutu (1924-2017), English, carved in January 1995
Carved in low relief with a mermaid swimming and reaching out to Standing, its head turned to the right, its feet together and its tail
catch a cuttlefish, the eyes inlaid with dark horn and the broad end passing over the right flank to form the himotoshi, the wood lightly
plugged with ebony; signed on a silver tablet JC. stained and the eyes inlaid with dark horn and tortoiseshell, signed on
16.2cm (6 3/8in) long. (2). a silver tablet JC.
5.6cm (2¼in) high. (2).
£1,200 - 1,500
JPY180,000 - 220,000 £1,000 - 1,500
US$1,600 - 2,000 JPY150,000 - 220,000
US$1,300 - 2,000
Published
The International Netsuke Society Journal, vol.15, no.4, p.42. Sold together with Jack Coutu’s reference card (no.178), on which he
states: ‘A nice carving. It owes something to Otoman but is more like
Sold together with Jack Coutu’s reference card (no.101), on which he a photograph I found. It is large by Japanese standards perhaps but
states: ‘A difficult problem to fit the mermaid into the limited space. feels right for me. The composition is satisfying from any position and
The photograph (on the card) could be better and the design improves it has a unity of form which I don’t always achieve. The position of the
when seen from above. The cuttlefish is not very clear.’ head works particularly well. The ears are perhaps a little flat but this
gives a compactness which I feel to be desirable.’
25
A LARGE BOAR-TUSK NETSUKE 28
By Jack Coutu (1924-2017), English, carved in August 1984 A LARGE BOXWOOD NETSUKE OF THE HUNTER, THE DOVE
Carved in low relief with a heron stalking a frog, the eyes inlaid with AND THE BEE
dark horn and the broad end plugged with ebony; signed on a silver By Jack Coutu (1924-2017), English, carved in October 1996
tablet JC. 12.7cm (5in) long. (2). Standing leaning to one side and holding the struggling bird as the
large insect alights on his cheek, the wood stained and the eyes inlaid
£1,000 - 1,500 with dark horn, signed on a silver tablet JC.
JPY150,000 - 220,000 11.6cm (4 5/8in) high. (2).
US$1,300 - 2,000
£1,000 - 1,500
Sold together with Jack Coutu’s reference card (no.103), on which he JPY150,000 - 220,000
states: ‘This was a rather tricky composition to fit into a boar’s tusk but US$1,300 - 2,000
it worked better than I expected. Designing in the shape always makes
it rather contrived but an interesting problem to overcome!’ Sold together with Jack Coutu’s reference card (no.265), on which he
explains that the subject is taken from the fable by Aesop: ‘The story
26 is of a bee who flew too close to a river to drink and fell in. The dove
A BOAR-TUSK NETSUKE threw a twig to which the bee clung and was saved. Later, a hunter
By Jack Coutu (1924-2017), English, carved in October 1991 (no.202) trapped the dove, whereupon the bee came down and stung him on
Carved in relief with fledglings perched on a branch, their eyes inlaid the cheek, and he released the dove. The carving is rather heavy when
with dark horn and a silver rose inlaid to one end, the broad end compared with the sketches (on the card).’
plugged with ebony; signed on a silver tablet JC.
11cm (4 3/8in) long. (2).
£1,000 - 1,500
JPY150,000 - 220,000
US$1,300 - 2,000

Sold together with Jack Coutu’s reference card (no.202), on which he
states: ‘A rather “Twee” subject which required a very fine and subtle
technique and would have been better for me on a larger tusk. It feels
a little weak and possibly needs more work on it.’

For details of the charges payable in addition to the final Hammer Price of each Lot
16 | BONHAMS please refer to paragraphs 7 & 8 of the Notice to Bidders at the back of the catalogue.