19th century netsuke of carved as a cluster of 3 branches of natural fungus, seal with deer finial and double gourd with stopper and its lower end containing carved village scene. Excellent and elegant work with clever use of anabori (cavern) carving technique, wonderful mellow patina. Signed GYOKUHO on the back - the artist is very well known for that kind of work and is discussed on p. 424 of NETSUKE & INRO ARTISTS AND HOW TO READ THEIR SIGNATURES by George Lazarnick. Height 1 1/2 inches.

19th century netsuke of carved as a group of eels, elongated nuts and chestnuts, three of which contain deeply carved village scenes. Excellent carving with deep undercutting, eyes inlaid with brown horn, wonderful mellow patina. Signed GYOKUHO on the back of the eel that forms natural himotoshi - the artist is very well known for that kind of work and is discussed on p. 424 of NETSUKE & INRO ARTISTS AND HOW TO READ THEIR SIGNATURES by George Lazarnick. Length 1 9/16 inches.

19th century Japanese iron mae-kanagu (tobacco pouch clasp fitting) in a form of a haboki - a feather brush used for swiping ashes during tea ceremony. Iron is notoriously difficult to work with. Excellent design, superb crisp detailing, gilded highlights. Length 1 7/8 inches.

19th century Japanese iron mae-kanagu (tobacco pouch clasp fitting) depicting a sparrow serving sake from a bottle to an old man with a sake cup. The topic represented is Shitakiri Suzume, or the story of a tongue cut sparrow - see H. Joly LEGEND IN JAPANESE ART, p. 496. Iron is notoriously difficult to work with. Excellent design, superb crisp detailing, silver inlays and gilding. Length 1 7/16 inches.

19th century Japanese iron mae-kanagu (tobacco pouch clasp fitting) depicting God of Abundance Daikoku resting by a bale of rice, his hammer in his hands. Iron is notoriously difficult to work with. Very nice design, wonderful face with wide smile, superb crisp detailing, gold inlays. Length 1 7/16 inches.

19th century Japanese iron mae-kanagu (tobacco pouch clasp fitting) depicting a vase next to a peony flower with water drops on its petal. Nice touch - a ring handle on the vase moves freely. Iron is notoriously difficult to work with. Very nice design, wonderful detailing, gold inlays. Length 1 inch.

19th century Japanese iron mae-kanagu (tobacco pouch clasp fitting) depicting two toys - a hobby horse and a bird on wheels. Iron is notoriously difficult to work with. Very nice design, wonderful detailing, gold inlays. Length 1 1/2 inches.

19th century Japanese bronze mae-kanagu (tobacco pouch clasp fitting) depicting chidori (plovers) in flight above and among cresting waves. Elegant design, great crisp detailing, differently colored patinas, comes with original backing. Length 1 5/8 inches.

19th century Japanese bronze mae-kanagu (tobacco pouch clasp fitting) in a form of two sumo wrestler dolls and a fan used by the judge in sumo matches and decorated with sun, moon and a constellation. Elegant design, great crisp detailing, gilded and silvered highlights. Length 1 9/16 inches.

19th century Japanese bronze mae-kanagu (tobacco pouch clasp fitting) in a form of a running boar. Wonderful dynamic design, great crisp detailing, gilded eye. Comes with original backing with design of a stone on it. Length with backing 1 9/16 inches.

19th century Japanese bronze mae-kanagu (tobacco pouch clasp fitting) depicting a barrel maker working on a large barrel. Wonderful design with dynamic posture, superb crisp detailing, comes with original backing. Signed RYUMIN on a gilded strip hanging off a nearby tree. For information on this pupil of Tenmin see NETSUKE & INRO ARTISTS AND HOW TO READ THEIR SIGNATURES by George Lazarnick, p. 895. Length 1 11/16 inches

19th century Japanese iron mae-kanagu (tobacco pouch clasp fitting) depicting a scene of a samurai procession performed by six rats in different attitudes. Iron is notoriously difficult to work with. Excellent design, funny topic, superb crisp detailing, gilding to the eyes. Length 2 1/8 inches.

19th century kagamibuta (“mirror lid”) netsuke with the top carved in low relief with a seated boy wearing rich robe decorated with brocade pattern and intently looking at koi fish swimming in a large bowl in front of him. Wonderful depiction of robe lines, elegantly incised textile decoration. Wonderfully depicted drops of glaze on the bowl shoulder. Beautiful patina, swinging metal loop at the back for the cord. Diameter 1 9/16 inches.

19th century netsuke carved as a cluster of eight theatrical masks, those of Okina, Hannya, Hyottoko, Bishamon, Oni, Ikkaku Sennin, Okame and O-Tobide. Excellent faces, very pleasant feel to the surface, compressed dust in crevices. Signed ISSAI on a plaque on the back that serves as himotoshi - for information on this rare artist see p. 517 of NETSUKE & INRO ARTISTS AND HOW TO READ THEIR SIGNATURES by George Lazarnick. Excellent detailed carving, wonderful work by the master carver...

Very unusual 19th century marine netsuke of obihasami type, the upper hook carved as leaves of a vine holding a long pod, and the lower hook as a snail starting to climb up the body of the netsuke. The hooks at the top and bottom of the piece go around the edges of obi - a sash holding a kimono. Extraordinary clever and subtle piece in Japanese taste, amazing rendition of the soft body of the mollusc. Excellent patina, the best netsuke of that type that I ever had. Length 4 inches.

Early 19th century netsuke of a buffalo on a base, its head turned back. Unusual and wonderful stylization of the creature - see its upturned snout and raised ears and horns. Beautifully carved, excellent staining, superb wear and patina, old age lines. Height 1 5/16 inches

19th century marine netsuke depicting Ashinaga (long legs) wearing South Sea Islander’s sarong as he sits hugging his absurdly long legs. In Japanese legends he is often accompanied by Tenaga (long arms) whom he puts on his back and goes fishing. Very nice work, beautiful wear to staining, pleasant patina. Signed TOMOYUKI on the bottom - the artist is listed on p. 1167 of NETSUKE & INRO ARTISTS AND HOW TO READ THEIR SIGNATURES by George Lazarnick. Height 1 3/4 inches.

Good size 18th century netsuke of a standing sennin (Chinese sage) in a long robe and a leaf cape, carrying on his shoulder a Chinese boy who plays a short trumpet. The netsuke is probably a joke on the subject of bokudo, which is typically depicted as a boy seated on the back of a buffalo and playing a flute - a theme of a perfect peace of mind, and one of the stages of a journey towards Buddhahood....