Page 188 - Fine Japanese Art Auction November 2 2019 Galerie Zacke

229 | GYOKURYUSAI: A RARE IVORY
NETSUKE OF A TSUBA WITH CENTIPEDE
By Gyokuryusai, signed Tokyo Gyokuryusai
Japan, Tokyo, early Meiji period (1868-1912)

Published: in Neil. K Davey, Netsuke, 1974, page 286.

In the shape of a tsuba with one hitsu and finely carved in relief
228 | SEIYODO BUNSHOJO: A SUBLIME BOAR-TUSK with a crawling centipede. The surface of the tsuba is beautifully
NETSUKE WITH SPIDER AND FERNS stained and stippled. Himotoshi through a loop carved inside the
seppa-dai in the reverse. Signed in the front GYOKURYUSAI ৿؁᤮
By Seiyodo Bunshojo (1764 – 1838), signed Nihon San’indo Iwami living at Tokyo.
Enokawa Seiyodo Bunshojo chokoku
Japan, Iwami province, late 18th to early 19th century, Edo period HEIGHT 4.6 cm, LENGTH 3.9 cm
(1615-1868)
Condition: Good condition with concentric age cracks on the
Published: Earle, Huthart, p.110, no.90. reverse.
Provenance: Ex W.W. Winkworth, Ex Franks and Ex M.T Hindson
collection.
Carved from a choice, beautifully shimmering boar tusk with
pronounced curvature. Towards the narrow end the artist has Estimate EUR 1.500,-
carved a large spider in high relief with incised hair on its thick Starting price EUR 750,-
segmented body, large fangs and inlaid eyes. The spider is carved
with a superior sense of naturalism, which is extraordinarily rare for
comparable Iwami tusk netsuke with spiders. Below the arachnid
are delicately engraved ferns next to the signature and inscription 230 | A RARE INLAID EBONY WOOD
reading SEIYODO BUNSHOJO нїࠧ NJˇƕ carved this by the Eno NETSUKE OF A WASP NEST
River in the San’indo region of Japan. With a zoomorphic pot seal.
Unsigned
LENGTH 10.8 cm Japan, possibly Iwami, second half of 18th century, Edo period
(1615-1868)
Condition: Very good condition with natural veining and minor age
cracks.
Provenance: The Robert S. Huthart Collection. The wasp nest is carved from smoothed down ebony wood with
rows of individual combs, many of them filled with larvae inlaid
Seiyodo Bunshojo (1764 – 1838) was the eldest daughter of in bone or ivory. The sides show the ribbed surface of the nest,
Seiyodo Tomiharu (1733 – 1811), the founder of the Iwami school. as well as two further wasps. The underside with the himotoshi
Her work is deemed as of equal stature of her father’s and she underneath the attachment of the nest. The style of carving
achieved widespread recognition as a professional artist by the suggests the Iwami school.
men of her time – which was an incredibly rare feat in the Japan of
the 18th century. LENGTH 4.5 cm
Auction comparison: Compare to two similar boar tusk netsuke Condition: Excellent
by Seiyodo Bunshojo, which also illustrate the superior carving of condition with appropriate
the spider in the present netsuke. The first sold at Bonhams, The and pleasant surface wear.
Robert S. Huthart Collection of Iwami Netsuke Part I, 15 May 2019, Provenance: European
London, lot 47. The second sold at Bonhams, The Harriet Szechenyi collection, acquired in
Sale of Japanese Art. 8 November 2011, London, lot 247. Japan recently.
Estimate EUR 8.000,- Estimate EUR 1.200,-
Starting price EUR 4.000,- Starting price EUR 600,-

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