Page 38 - Fine Japanese Netsuke, Sagemono, Oikimono April 29, 2019 Galerie Zacke

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A RARE IVORY SHUNGA NETSUKE OF A BIJIN WITH A PIPE BY AN IVORY SHUNGA NETSUKE OF A LADY WITH MUSHROOM AN IVORY SHUNGA NETSUKE OF A MAN TASTING A CLAM AN IVORY SHUNGA NETSUKE OF A MONKEY
HAKUUNSAI BY EIRAKUSAI BY THE TOMOCHIKA SCHOOL Unsigned, ivory shunga netsuke
"Y (AKUUNSAI IVORY shunga netsuke "Y %IRAKUSAI IVORY shunga netsuke "Y 4OMOCHIKA IVORY shunga netsuke Japan, 20 century
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Japan, Tokyo/Edo, mid-19 CENTURY %DO PERIOD Japan, Tokyo, mid-19 CENTURY %DO PERIOD Japan, Tokyo, mid-19 CENTURY %DO PERIOD
A very unusual depiction of a monkey stimulating himself, one
Bijin seated on the ground, wearing an elaborate hairstyle and An ivory netsuke of a lady with an elaborately crafted hairstyle, A suggestive ivory netsuke of a seated man holding two fingers hand holding his genitals and the other suggestively pointing
partly obscuring her face with a fan. One of her arms rests on bearing some resemblance to Okame, holding a phallic mushroom to his tongue to taste the flesh of a clam, a symbol for female at them. The carving is refined, minutely incised fur, very good
the small vanity box beside her and she is holding a pipe with in her right hand and mischievously laughing, with the other genitalia. The man has a sword tied to his obi next to the himotoshi details all around, such as the bony fingers of the monkey and the
an eccentrically long stem. Her suggestive facial features show a hand held to her chin. Her facial expression is crafted sensitively and signature in a wavy reserve TOMOCHIKA – by a member of the double inlaid eyes in dark and translucent horn. Shunga netsuke
sensual expression, of which this Bijin is surely quite aware. Very showing a slightly opened mouth with visible teeth. Her garments Tomochika school. The ivory of a very appealing color. were usually less straightforward than the present example, often
small himotoshi on the reverse, and the underside with some red are decorated with various patterns and the small himotoshi are with hidden meanings, which places this netsuke in the early to
coloring shows her two sensitively carved feet and her genitals. found in the back. Signature in a way reserve on the underside HEIGHT 3.5 CM mid-20 century, however the quality of the carving, as noted, is
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Signed on the underside of the box HAKUUNSAI, an artist from the EIRAKUSAI. unmistakable.
circle of the Kikugawa family. Condition: One foot has been repaired, otherwise good condition
HEIGHT 3.7 CM Provenance: The 40-Year Collection of a London Gentleman HEIGHT 3.7 CM
HEIGHT 4 CM
Condition: Good condition, the ivory slightly worn Estimate EUR 600,- Condition: Very good condition
Condition: Good and complete condition, some wear and a few Provenance: The 40-Year Collection of a London Gentleman Starting price EUR 300,- Provenance: French private collection
age cracks
Provenance: The 40-Year Collection of a London Gentleman Estimate EUR 600,- Estimate EUR 600,-
Starting price EUR 300,- Starting price EUR 300,-
Literature comparison: Compare to another shunga netsuke by
Hakuunsai, Marie-Therese Coullery and Martin S. Newstead,
Geneve, 1977, page 392, C914.
Estimate EUR 800,-
Starting price EUR 400,-

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