Page 203 - Fine Japanese Netsuke, Sagemono, Oikimono April 29, 2019 Galerie Zacke

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A VERY RARE INLAID WOOD NETSUKE OF A TENNIN A RARE WALNUT NETSUKE OF A LUNAR HARE
Unsigned, wood netsuke with inlays of mother of pearl, coral and malachite Unsigned, walnut netsuke
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Japan, 19 CENTURY %DO PERIOD Japan, 19 CENTURY %DO PERIOD
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.EIL $AVEY DESCRIBES THIS tennin as a ‘choice figure’, which perhaps may even be an Carving a whole nut in relief is quite an artistic feat due to its
understatement, as not only is the subject quite rare, this variant in wood and with difficulty. The top side shows a dense image of a running rabbit
inlays is something that may only exist once. The tennin is carved from an attractive (usagi) with exaggeratedly long ears, surrounded by rocks and
piece of wood with a good color and fine grain. She is depicted, as usual, holding a plants, underneath the crescent moon, surely an allusion to the
large lotus bud and flying with heavenly garlands surrounding her. The entire carving legendary moon rabbit, or lunar hare. Also, the rabbit is running
is inlaid with mother of pearl, some of them with incised cloud patterns, coral and across densely carved sprays of waves, another allusion to the
malachite. Her hair is neatly arranged into a top bun held together by a tiara, the central moon, as the moons reflection is visible in the water. The reverse
jewel inlaid in coral. Small himotoshi on the underside. with a finely carved brocade pattern and one silver-outlined and
one heart-shaped himotoshi.
HEIGHT 2.9 CM, LENGTH 4.3 CM
LENGTH 3.7 CM
Condition: Good condition, with a fine and worn patina and few expected age cracks
0ROVENANCE "RITISH PRIVATE COLLECTION STORED IN A BANK VAULT FOR YEARS AND NOW Condition: Excellent condition
OFFERED FOR THE lRST TIME COMING WITH TWO VALUATIONS FROM .EIL + $AVEY FROM Provenance: German private collection
1984, collection no. 20, additionally an old collection label ‘F 99’
Estimate EUR 1.200,-
Estimate EUR 1.500,- Starting price EUR 600,-
Starting price EUR 750,-

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