Page 252 - Fine Japanese Netsuke, Sagemono, Oikimono April 29, 2019 Galerie Zacke

339
AN EXCELLENT IVORY NETSUKE-OKIMONO
OF A GROUP OF FOUR MONKEYS AFTER
MITSUHIDE
Unsigned, after Mitsuhide, ivory okimono-netsuke
Japan, Kyoto, 19 CENTURY %DO PERIOD
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A lively and violent scene with the largest, male
monkey at the center and a slightly smaller, female
monkey underneath, with a fierce expression,
baring her teeth and pulling on his face, while
he looks down on her voraciously. Two young
monkeys are climbing on the father’s back, one
holding a peach. Monkeys are also known as
messengers to the gods, can dispel evil and are
a sign in the Japanese zodiac. The carving is very
much in the style of Mitsuhide from Kyoto, who
was known for his carvings of very expressive
fighting monkeys.
HEIGHT 5 CM, LENGTH 6.9 CM

Condition: The patina is rubbed in some areas –
good and complete condition
Provenance: Austrian private estate, acquired at
Galerie Zacke in the 1990s
Estimate EUR 1.000,- 341
Starting price EUR 500,- AN AMUSING AND EXCELLENT IVORY
OKIMONO OF A KAPPA WITH CUCUMBER BY
MUNEHARU
"Y -UNEHARU IVORY OKIMONO
340 Japan, late 19 CENTURY -EIJI PERIOD
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AN IVORY OKIMONO OF A CAT AND RAT
Unsigned, ivory okimono A very well detailed and amusing okimono
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Japan, late 19 CENTURY -EIJI PERIOD depicting a kappa pulling a huge cucumber, the
favourite food of the kappa, with a rope. The
An ivory okimono of a housecat, wearing a aquatic creature has its head tilted to the left
bell-collar, holding down a rat and preparing to with squinting eyes, inlaid in dark horn, and is
strike it. The rat is struggling and screeching with exclaiming as the large cucumber is probably
opened mouth and visible teeth. Its tail curls up very heavy. The rope is carved very precisely and
around to the cat’s side and it is pulling on its fur. ties around the cucumber several times. The
The cat has a playful and confident expression cucumber is also carved realistically with the
and its body is slightly contorted as it lifts one spiny surface stippled and the characteristic ‘dots’
paw up high, ready to attack. The paws are inlaid in horn. The kappa has long hair with a soft
carved especially well and naturalistic. The eyes of spot in the center, which is where it keeps its vital
the cat and rat are inlaid with reddish and black fluids. Amusingly, since kappa are ferocious but
horn, respectively. polite creatures, the best way to defeat a kappa is
by respectfully bowing, so that it shall return the
HEIGHT 5.5 CM, LENGTH 9.5 CM favour thus spilling out its vital fluids. The ivory
bearing a very good colour with a light stain and
Condition: Very good condition, minor the signature MUNEHARU is found in a rounded
discoloration in some areas of the ivory reserve under the cucumber.
0ROVENANCE "RITISH PRIVATE COLLECTION
HEIGHT 5 CM, LENGTH 9.5 CM
Estimate EUR 800,-
Starting price EUR 400,- Condition: Excellent condition
0ROVENANCE "RITISH PRIVATE COLLECTION
Estimate EUR 2.500,-
Starting price EUR 1.250,-

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