Page 131 - Fine Japanese Netsuke, Sagemono, Oikimono April 29, 2019 Galerie Zacke

165
A RARE STAG ANTLER NETSUKE OF A GROUP OF SEA
ANIMALS
Unsigned, stag antler netsuke
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Japan, 19 CENTURY %DO PERIOD
4HIS NETSUKE SHOWS A BREAM tai SQUID ika AND LOBSTER ebi) on
THE UPPER SIDE A LARGE OCTOPUS tako) with extending tentacles
on one side, as well as various larger and smaller fish, including
A CATlSH namazu AND A FUGU $ENSE COMPOSITION WITH SOME
openwork, all eyes are inlaid. Himotoshi on the underside. Excellent
use of this difficult material, which appears almost like ivory, but
has the porous surface of the antler material well-hidden on the
sides.
LENGTH 4.5 CM

Condition: Very good condition, one eye of the ebi replaced
Provenance: The 40-Year Collection of a London Gentleman
Estimate EUR 1.500,-
Starting price EUR 750,-
164
AN EXCEPTIONAL ASAKUSA SCHOOL WALRUS TUSK IVORY
MANJU NETSUKE WITH KAPPA, FROG AND CRAB
Unsigned, walrus tusk ivory netsuke
Japan, Asakusa, late 19 century
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A compact study with lots of movement depicting a kappa chasing
after a frog, while a crab pinches the kappa, who screams out in
pain, holding his leg. The entire struggle takes place on a lotus leaf,
which is slowly disintegrating, slightly crumpled on the edges and
showing many holes. The underside is carved with great detail, as
is usual for the best Asakusa school works, with two beautifully
carved stems of the lotus leaves curling up and around, one of
them leading to the other side and forming a lifelike lotus bud next
to the frog. The naturally porous material of the walrus ivory has
been used beautifully to portray the decaying lotus leaf. Natural
himotoshi through the stem of the leaf on the underside and the
pupils of the frog and kappa are inlaid in dark horn. 166
A RARE STAG ANTLER NETSUKE OF A SHARK
While attributing this netsuke to a certain carver of the Asakusa Unsigned, stag antler netsuke
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school is difficult, it is most likely from the circle of hands around Japan, 19 CENTURY %DO PERIOD
Ozaki Kokusai. The triangular section of the kappa’s limbs, are
typical of Kokusai and seen most notably in the creature in Paul An elongated netsuke depicting a grim shark with inlaid eyes of
Moss’s collection, illustrated in his recent magnum opus, vol. II, no. dark horn. The anatomy of the shark reflects the natural orientation
64. While the overall delicacy and movement of this carving seems of the antler material, with the dorsal fin and tail shaped like the
closer to Rensai than to Kokusai, it nonetheless feels more akin branches of the antlers. Very beautiful surface with some areas of
TO THE +OKUSAI EXAMPLE IN THE 6ERANNEMAN COLLECTION %SKENAZI the porous material turning black. Himotoshi on the underside.
NO THAN THE 2ENSAI IN THE -INNEAPOLIS EXHIBITION 7ELSH AND
Chappell, no. 168). LENGTH 14.6 CM

$)!-%4%2 #- Condition: Excellent condition
0ROVENANCE "RITISH PRIVATE COLLECTION
Condition: Excellent condition
0ROVENANCE "RITISH PRIVATE COLLECTION Estimate EUR 800,-
Starting price EUR 400,-
Estimate EUR 2.000,-
Starting price EUR 1.000,-

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