Page 15 - Bonhams November 4 2021 Japanese art London

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A LACQUER SINGLE-CASE INRO It is not immediately obvious that the toad has A BOXWOOD THREE-CASE INRO, OJIME
By Ryusei, Edo period (1615-1868), half swallowed a slug. The term sansukumi AND NETSUKE IN THE FORM
19th century refers to the three creatures depicted. While OF TERRAPINS
The rich gyobu ground decorated in the snake can devour the toad, and the toad By Gekko, Edo period (1615-1868),
polychrome takamaki-e, depicting a snake, the slug, both without adverse consequences, mid 19th century
its mouth wide open in a hiss, its long body the slug carries a toxin which would poison Each naturalistically carved, the inro with the
winding around a seated toad, the snake’s the snake were it to ingest a toad that had terrapin’s head and legs retracted within its
scutes of silver lacquer, the toad of matt swallowed a slug. For an inro with the same carapace, the eyes inlaid, signed in a sunken
brown lacquer dappled with black and gold design by Kansai (presumably Koma Kansai), oval reserve Gekko, 10.8cm (4¼in) high; the
lacquer, the interior of red lacquer, signed see J. Kurstin, Miniature Masterpieces: The netsuke as three terrapins clambering over
Ryusei; with a black horn ojime. Storytelling Art of Japanese Inro, Orlando, Fla., one another on a broken roof tile, the eyes
9cm (3½in) high. Walt Disney Imagineering, 1999, pp. 72-73. inlaid, signed in a sunken oval reserve Gekko,
4.9cm (1 15/16in) high; the ojime a terrapin
£12,000 - 15,000 with its head and legs fully retracted within its
JPY1,800,000 - 2,300,000 carapace, the eyes inlaid, unsigned,
US$16,000 - 20,000 2.3cm (7/8in) long).
£1,200 - 1,800
JPY180,000 - 270,000
US$1,600 - 2,500
Illustrated on page 14.
For details of the charges payable in addition to the final Hammer Price of each Lot
please refer to paragraphs 7 & 8 of the Notice to Bidders at the back of the catalogue. JAPANESE ART | 13