Page 84 - Fine Japanese Art Auction November 2 2019 Galerie Zacke

94 | MASAMITSU: AN IVORY NETSUKE OF
A SWARM OF RATS WITH DARUMA DOLL
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Japan, Meiji period (1868-1912)

A classic model for this well-known artist who specialized in swarms
of animals, mostly rats. Drowning in a sea of inlaid black horn eyes
belonging to around thirty individually carved rats is a grim looking
daruma doll, also with inlaid eyes, being eaten and torn apart. The
rats all display individual moods, scurrying around or fighting. Well-
carved and finely stained. Signature on the flat base MASAMITSU Ȣ
ʾ and good asymmetrical himotoshi.
HEIGHT 3 cm, LENGTH 5.1 cm
Condition: Amazingly only one inlaid eye is lost. Minor
imperfections, very good overall condition.
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Estimate EUR 1.200,-
Starting price EUR 600,-

95 | MASAMITSU: A FINE IVORY NETSUKE OF
A SWARM OF RATS ON A SEA BREAM
93 | SADAYOSHI: AN EXCELLENT IVORY NETSUKE
OF A RAT WITH BAMBOO NODE %\ 0DVDPLWVX VLJQHG 0DVDPLWVX
Japan, Meiji period (1868-1912)
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Japan, Osaka, early to mid-19th century, Edo period (1615-1868)
Carved by the same artist and similar to previous no. 94, though
this time carved with detail on both sides. The netsuke is finely
stained and carved with a dense swarm of seventeen rats on top
A fine and naturalistic ivory netsuke of a recumbent rat with its tail
of a sea bream. All eyes are inlaid with black horn. The underside
curling around and up its back. The rat or nezumi has a pointed
shows the beautifully carved sea bream and three leaves, of which
snout, large inlaid eyes of black horn and attentively curved ears.
one holds the signature MASAMITSU Ȣʾ. Small himotoshi.
The hairwork is incised masterfully and characteristically worn.
The rat is holding a node of bamboo between three of its paws,
LENGTH 5.8 cm
which it fiercely claims for itself. The underside with himotoshi and
signature in a rectangular reserve SADAYOSHI ǭύ. The artist is
Condition: Very good condition. Amazingly no inlay to eyes lost.
known for his naturalistic and bold carvings of animals.
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HEIGHT 2.2 cm, LENGTH 4.6 cm
Estimate EUR 1.200,-
Starting price EUR 600,-
Condition: Good condition, very appealing patina on the underside,
one small crack to the tail and a very minute old chip to the edge
of one ear.
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Sotheby’s, by Neil K. Davey, dated 1974 & 1984, inventory no. 51.
Literature comparison: Compare to a similar netsuke of two rats by
Sadayoshi illustrated in International Netsuke Society Journal, 24/3,
page 11.
Estimate EUR 2.000,-
Starting price EUR 1.000,-

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