Page 79 - Wolley & Wallace, July 1, 2020 Japanese Works of Art UK

385
λ A JAPANESE IVORY NETSUKE OF A BEAUTY
MEIJI PERIOD, 19 CENTURY
TH
Carved as Eguchi no Kimi seated on an elephant, the courtesan reading a love letter inscribed on a long makimono
scroll unrolled on her lap, her hair stained black and loosely tied behind her back, wearing long robes and tabi socks,
the benevolent-looking pachyderm depicted reclining with its head lowered, signed Tomonobu underneath, 6.9cm.
£400-600
Kimi was a famous prostitute from the village of Eguchi who after assiduously studying Buddhist scriptures became an incarnation
of Fugen Bosatsu, the bodhisattva of Universal Goodness, Virtue and Worthiness. See lot 308 for another depiction of this myth.
386
λ A TALL AND UNUSUAL JAPANESE IVORY NETSUKE OF A FOREIGNER
TH
TH
EDO PERIOD, LATE 18 OR EARLY 19 CENTURY
The man depicted standing, wearing a short tunic incised with flowers, scrolls and clouds over long robes, possibly a
Chinese outfit, tying on a mask before his face, the character depicted with bulging eyes, bushy eyebrows and a scrolling
beard, possibly the caricature of a Westerner, 15cm.
£800-1,200

387
λ TWO JAPANESE IVORY NETSUKE
EDO PERIOD AND LATER,
18 AND 19 CENTURY
TH
TH
One a tall Chokaro Sennin with his pet horse slung
over his shoulders, typically dressed with a coat of
mugwort leaves, his head turned to the side as he
laughs; the other a fox dressed with long robes as a
priest, holding a walking stick and with his head also
turned to the side, 8cm and 7cm respectively. (2)
£500-800
Provenance: from the collection of a lady of title, and
thence by descent. 386

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