Page 69 - Fine Japanese Art September 25, 2020 Galerie Zacke Netsuke and Sagemono

IWAMI, IWASHIrO, HAKATA & OTHErS
125| AN IMpORTANT EBONY WOOD
NETSUKE OF A FROG ON DRIFTWOOD
ATTRIBUTED TO SEIYODO TOMIhARU
Attributed to Seiyodo Tomiharu, unsigned
Japan, Iwami province, late 18th to early 19th century, Edo period
(1615-1868)
published: Earle, Joe (2000) The robert S. Huthart Collection of
Iwami Netsuke, Vol. 1, p. 67, no. 48.
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The large amphibian squatting on a multi-tiered, worn piece of
driftwood, the underside smoothly polished showing a fine grain
with a reddish streak and housing the two well hollowed-out and
slightly asymmetrical himotoshi. The frog has bulky proportions,
its wonderfully carved legs are splayed and ready to push off
the ground as it visibly urges to leap forward. The texture of the
skin is achieved naturalistically – with finely carved ridges on the
amphibian’s exterior and precisely rendered ukibori pimples on
its underside. The large eyes show pupils of inlaid reddish horn
imbuing life into this spectacularly rendered aquatic creature.
Unsigned, however certainly by Seiyodo Tomiharu, founder of the
Iwami school of carvers.
SIZE 2.6 x 4.6 x 4.6 cm
Condition: Excellent condition.
provenance: The robert S. Huthart Collection.
AUCTION COMpARISON
Compare to another frog by
Seiyodo Tomiharu sold at
Bonhams, The robert S. Huthart
Collection of Iwami Netsuke Part
II, 6 November 2019, London, lot
20 (sold for 20.687 GBp).
Also compare to Bonhams,
The robert S. Huthart Collection
of Iwami Netsuke Part I,
15 May 2019, London, lot 18
(sold for 26.312 GBp).
Estimate EUR 8.000,-
Starting price EUr 4.000,-
135