Page 135 - Fine Japanese Art September 25, 2020 Galerie Zacke Netsuke and Sagemono

276 | A FIVE-CASE GOLD LACQUER INRO WITh
ThE SEVEN SAGES OF ThE BAMBOO GROVE
Unsigned
Japan, early 19th century, Edo period (1615-1868)

A tall, slender five-case inro, rounded at the top and bottom.
Decorated on both sides with the seven sages of the bamboo
grove, reading from scrolls and conversing in a dense bamboo
forest with clouds above them, their robes finely decorated with
hiramaki-e patterns. The interior of nashiji and gold fundame.
The seven sages, a band of poets and scholars also referred to as
the seven worthies, would meet in the bamboo forest near the
country estate of the writer and alchemist Ji Kang, in Shanyang
(near the modern day Henan province). Once there, they would
write verses, enjoy copious amounts of wine and the freedom to
express their opinions.
HEIGHT 9.6 cm

Condition: Very good condition with minimal surface wear and
microscopic chips to the edges of the risers.
Provenance: British collection.
Estimate EUR 2.000,-
Starting price EUr 1.000,-

275 | ShIOMI MASANARI: A FINE FOUR-CASE
LACQUER INRO WITh MIMIKAKI (EAR
CLEANING) 277 | AN EARLY ThREE-CASE GOLD LACQUER
INRO WITh MONKEYS AND WATERFALL
By Shiomi Masanari, unsigned
Japan, late 18th to 19th century, Edo period (1615-1868) Unsigned
Japan, 18th century, Edo period (1615-1868)

Bearing a roiro-ground and depicting three shrine attendants
lacquered in gold and colored togidash-e. The front shows a The gold lacquered inro decorated in gold and silver takamaki-e
temple servant (eji) cleaning his master’s ear, a sign of affection and hiramaki-e, depicting several monkeys in various attitudes
and respect, also known as mimikaki. The reverse shows another amongst blooming cherry trees and a waterfall. The floor and
temple servant roaring in laughter, wildly swinging his arms. Their the trees are decorated with kirikane flakes. With a metal ojime
robes are outlined in gold togidash-e appearing like brushstrokes and wood netsuke of a monkey resting on an awabi shell. A finely
and filled with e-nashiji, a technique rarely seen in inro, masterfully lacquered, early inro with a charming depiction.
executed here. As Sydney Moss Ltd. states in a similar inro (see
literature comparison) the subject may very well be an allusion to HEIGHT inro 6 cm
the three stages of drunkenness.
Condition: Good, age-
HEIGHT 8.2 cm related condition with
minimal surface wear.
Condition: Very good condition with very minor chips to the edges Provenance: French
of the risers and general surface wear. private collection.
provenance: Ex collections J.C. Hawkshaw and Col. Gaskell
collections, their labels pasted respectively in the bottom and top Estimate EUR 1.500,-
cases. Sold by Sotheby’s, 16 June 1994, London, lot 245 (including a Starting price EUr 750,-
snippet of a catalog description stating the price of FF 75.000).
Literature comparison:
Compare to a very similar inro by Shiomi Masanari in Sydney L.
Moss, Ltd (2010) They are all fire and every one doth shine, pp.
154-155, no. 35.
Estimate EUR 8.000,-
Starting price EUr 4.000,-

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