Page 101 - Fine Japanese Art September 25, 2020 Galerie Zacke Netsuke and Sagemono

198 | DERKAChENKO: A MAMMOTh IVORY 200 | MIChAEL WEBB: A WOOD
NETSUKE OF A hARE WITh GARNET EYES NETSUKE OF TWO FROGS
By Alexander Derkachenko By Michael Webb (1934-2009), signed with artist’s monogram ‘MW’
Ukraine, 2020 England, yorkshire, c. 1980

The pure white rabbit or hare sits and scratches its ear, holding a The two frogs seated side by side on top of two overlapping lily
cabbage between its paws, the beautiful red eyes inlaid in garnet pads, the amphibian’s skins rendered naturalistically with extremely
stone. Derkachenko has always been intrigued by the eyes of fine incision work and ukibori. The leaves, as well, are carved with
rabbits in the natural world, and rather than using amber he great detail, utilizing finely carved alternating ridges and polished
thought garnet would best represent them. This is particularly areas which simulate the heterogenous surface of the leaf very
evident when light enters the eyes. Asymmetrical himotoshi well. Himotoshi through the loop formed by the stem of one of the
through the underside next to the artist signature. With original leaves and signed in ukibori ‘MW’.
felted wood box.
LENGTH 6.6 cm
HEIGHT 3.2 cm
Condition: Excellent condition.
Condition: Excellent condition. Provenance: British private collection.
Estimate EUR 1.500,- Michael Webb (1932-2009), formerly director and auctioneer
Starting price EUr 750,- at Sotheby’s, carved netsuke as a hobby until 1976. Afterwards
he moved to yorkshire and started mastering the art with the
guidance of Luigi Bandini of Eskenazi Ltd. He excelled in naturalistic
representations of animals and mastered the difficult technique of
ukibori, as shown in the present example.
Estimate EUR 3.000,-
Starting price EUr 1.500,-

199 | DERKAChENKO: A WOOD
NETSUKE OF ThE SANSUKUMI
By Alexander Derkachenko
Ukraine, 2020

A large frog, with realistically rendered skin, is seated on top of
a fruit from which a snake emerges; a snail carved beside it. The
netsuke depicts the sansukumi motif, meaning ‘mutual control’. The
snake will consume the frog, however there is a catch – the frog has
already eaten a poisonous snail, so too the snake must perish. The
frog’s eyes are double inlaid in pale and dark horn and the snake’s
tongue is inlaid in dark-stained mammoth ivory. Asymmetrical
himotoshi through the underside next to the artist signature. With
original felted wood box.
HEIGHT 2.9 cm
Condition: Excellent condition.
Estimate EUR 1.500,-
Starting price EUr 750,-

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