Page 11 - Fine Japanese Art September 25, 2020 Galerie Zacke Netsuke and Sagemono

15 | A WOOD NETSUKE REFERENCING OTA DOKAN
Unsigned
Japan, late 18th to early 19th century, Edo period (1615-1868)

A wood netsuke depicting a straw hat, a sickle and a bundle of
yamabuki flowers (yellow wild rose, kerria japonica), all carved on
top of a finely incised mino (straw raincoat). The details are finely
rendered, and the underside is pierced with large asymmetrical
himotoshi. The netsuke references a legend where Ota Dokan, a
daimyo who died in 1486, was caught in a storm and was forced
to build a shelter, asking a nearby girl to loan him a mino. Instead
she brought him a bundle of yamabuki flowers, signifying by using a
clever pun that she has no mino (as mino also means seed, and the
double-petaled yamabuki bears no seed).
LENGTH 4.5 cm
Condition: Excellent condition.
Provenance: European collection.

AUCTION COMpARISON
A similar netsuke was offered
at Quinn’s Auction Galleries, The Mang
Collection of Japanese Netsuke, 7
December 2012, Falls Church, lot 555
(estimate 2.000-2.500 USD).
Estimate EUR 1.000,-
Starting price EUr 500,-

16 | AN OLD WORN WOOD NETSUKE OF
BIRDS AND MONKEYS IN A pLUM TREE
Unsigned
Japan, 18th century, Edo period (1615-1868)

A wonderfully worn and old wood netsuke, simplistic yet charming
in its nature. Depicted is a section of a tree with finely incised
ume (plum) blossoms. Several birds and two monkeys are carved
onto the surface. ‘Natural himotoshi’ cleverly integrated into the 17 | AN EARLY WOOD NETSUKE OF A TOAD
composition in the form of a branch.
Unsigned
LENGTH 5.1 cm Japan, 18th century, Edo period (1615-1868)

Condition: Good condition. Attractively worn. Stunning patina. published: Brockhaus, Albert (1905) Netsuke. Versuch einer
provenance: Ex collection Ted Adameck. Geschichte der japanischen Schnitzkunst, p. 445, no. 806.
Estimate EUR 600,-
Starting price EUr 300,- A pleasingly worn and tactile wood netsuke of a bulky seated toad,
formerly in the important ancient collection of Albert Brockhaus.
The original black coating is rubbed through wear but still present
in the crevices, providing an appealing contrast to the chocolate
brown color of the wood. Himotoshi through the underside.
LENGTH 4.1 cm
Condition: Very good condition with age-related surface wear
including tiny nicks. Beautiful patina.
provenance: Ancient collection Albert Brockhaus (1855-1921),
Leipzig, acquired at rex & Co., Berlin, on 19 December 1900.
Estimate EUR 1.500,- Portrait of
Starting price EUr 750,- Albert Brockhaus

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