Page 106 - Fine Japanese Art September 25, 2020 Galerie Zacke Netsuke and Sagemono

210 | hOShUNSAI MASAYUKI: A RARE MINIATURE 211 | A STAG ANTLER SAShI NETSUKE
STAG ANTLER OKIMONO OF A RAKAN OF A BAT ON REIShI FUNGUS
By Hoshunsai Masayuki, signed Masayuki 正之 Unsigned
Japan, Tokyo, Asakusa, second half of 19th century Japan, Tokyo, Asakusa, second half of 19th century

A miniature stag antler okimono, delicately carved, depicting a Carved from a large and attractive piece of pale stag antler and
Buddhist ascetic (rakan) standing barefoot and dressed in typical depicting a large stalk of a reishi fungus, the coronet ingeniously
attire, revealing his emaciated rib cage. His expression is sensitively used to resemble the cap. A bat with outstretched wings lands on
crafted, he has a ‘third eye’ and his long hair terminates in finely the side of the mushroom. The combination of bat and reishi is
carved curls. Very appealing brownish patina to the reverse. a popular motif, originally coming from China, which symbolizes
Signed within an oval reserve to the back MASAyUKI – the second longevity. Good, asymmetrical himotoshi just below the coronet.
character yuki 之 in typical seal form. With a small box.
HEIGHT 13.2 cm
HEIGHT 4.5 cm
Condition: Excellent condition.
Condition: Good, complete condition. Several age cracks. provenance: Ex collection Ted Adameck.
Provenance: British collection.
Estimate EUR 2.000,-
Though rarely seen, Masayuki appears to have made several Starting price EUr 1.000,-
okimono depicting Buddhist figures, though this is certainly by far
the smallest example.
Literature comparison:
Another okimono is pictured in Poole, John: Collecting Legends: Art
and Ethnography. In: Journal of the International Netsuke Collectors
Society, Vol. 8, no. 2, September 1980, p. 53, no. 4 (left).

AUCTION
COMpARISON
Another was recently sold
by Zacke, Fine Netsuke &
Sagemono, 27 March 2020,
Vienna, lot 186
(sold for 6.952 EUR).

Estimate EUR 2.500,-
Starting price EUr 1.250,-

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