Edo Period, finely hand-carved boxwood netsuke depicting a Wolf, or Mountain Dog, Yamainu, with his paw raised and placed on top of a Minogame (Turtle). Excellent detail and ferocious expression have been carved on this popular netsuke subject by Tomomasa. Double inlaid eyes. Wonderfully preserved for more than 150 years. Rich patina. It measures 0.92 inches (2.3cm) wide, 1.64 inches (4.2cm) long, and 1.41 inhes (3.6cm) tall...

19th Century, Finely Hand-Carved Wood Tonkotsu with excellent and colorfull inlays/incrustations depicting a Sea Life Landscape with fish, clamshells, shrimp, crab, snail, jellyfish and algae. Beautiful representation of a marine scenery. The netsuke matches the theme with a depiction of an open clamshell with a village scene made up of a house with balcony and rooftop, as well as people standing or sitting about...

Netsuke - Nice model of the Shichifukujin Takarabune (The famous boat loaded with treasures of the 7 gods of happiness) in carved boxwood. Nice carving details of the whole composition. The 7 deities are all identifiable, the boat itself is ornate, the waves and a small Minogame turtle sculpted on the base. The cartridge signature has disappeared over time. Very nice natural patina. Height: 3.5cm. Japan Edo (1603-1868) 19th century.

Early 19th century boxwood netsuke of yamabushi - wandering warrior priest recognizable by tokin (skull cap) on his head - sitting inside a huge shell made into a trumpet, and blowing into yet another trumpet shell. Usually for this subject the person in the shell is considered to be Benkei. Horagai - (trumpet shell - Charonia Tritonis) were often fitted with a mouthpiece on the thin end, and used as war trumpets...

19th century netsuke carved in a shape of a bamboo section. Very simple elegant design in Japanese taste with clean lines, himotoshi is formed by central peg that has a hole in its back part through which a cord goes. Beautifully carved natural features of the plant, excellent patina. Signed RYUSHO on the back - the artist is listed on p. 901 of NETSUKE & INRO ARTISTS AND HOW TO READ THEIR SIGNATURES by George Lazarnick. Height 1 13/16 inches.

19th century excellently hand-carved Japanese wood netsuke depicting a Sambaso Dancer, in customary posture , standing on one leg, and garb, to include the mitrelike Okina Hat. He is carrying a Fan on his right hand. Excellent form, expression and bright colors, trademarks of Nagamichi Shuzan. It is signed Shuzan in an irregular reserve on the back of his right leg. Netsuke measures 0.92 inches (2.3cm) wide, and 2.20 inches (5.5cm) tall...

Unusual 19th century wooden netsuke carved as a head of a dragon with a Precious Gem in its mouth. Boldly carved, strong features of the creature’s face, nice wear and patina. Length 3 inches.

Japanese carved wooden netsuke of seated karako. Weight: 12g Size: 1.25 x 1.25 x 1.5"

Height: 4.4 cm (1.8 in)
Width: 4 cm (1.6 in)
Depth: 2.5 cm (1.0 in)

Japanese marine material netsuke of a girl clasping cymbals; probably whale tooth; fine age cracks; stained scrim decoration; signed; good condition

19th Century, finely hand-carved Wood Netsuke depicting a Karako, squatting and trying to lift the heavy Hotei's bag, signed KISEKI...

19th century boxwood netsuke of a turtle with its young perched on its back. Very good carving, beautiful rhythm to the plastrons of their carapaces, wonderful depiction of leathery skin texture, excellent wear and patina. Length 1 11/16 inches.

A carved female mask netsuke showing Okame. Unsigned. Back partially covered with black lacquer. Provenance: a gentleman's collection, Geneva - Switzerland. Condition: few tiny rim chips. Dimension: 4.1 cm x 3.6 cm.

19th century netsuke of a man with a horn on his head, bent under the weight of a richly dressed woman on his back. The subject of the netsuke is Ikkaku Sennin (single horn Sage), a supernatural being born of a doe. According to a Japanese legend, he grew angry with the Rain Dragons and sealed them away in a cave, causing a drought. Beautiful Indian princess Sendarama was sent to tempt him and when he yielded to her, he lost his magical powers, and the rain returned...

19th century boxwood netsuke by Nagamachi Shuzan of an actor in a role of Kiyohime turning into a demon. Kiyohime was a daughter of an innkeeper whose advances on a monk were not reciprocated, so her love turned into wrath, and she trapped him under a temple bell, turned into a dragon and melted the bell killing the monk. She is holding a bell striker in her hand and has a very unusual feature for the carver - the mask is inlaid, probably a unique model by the artist...

19th century netsuke in pillow manju (rice cake) shape depicting the upper part of a Nio (one of the Buddhist Guardian Kings) statue towering over a fence, vajra (Buddhist thunderbolt) clenched in his fist and his scarf billowing above him. The back is decorated with a children’s toy figure on a small spatula and leaves in flight among drifts of fog. Wonderful ferocious face, eyes are inlaid with black horn, hollowed inside, warm patina, pleasant wear...

19th century Asakusa school staghorn netsuke in manju shape with openwork carving of a winged water dragon in flight among clouds. Superb design and excellent quality sharp carving, beautiful warm patina, darker porous areas as is usual with staghorn. Loss to the part of the inner ring (not visible when manju is put together, photo #5, lower right image) not affecting integrity of the piece. Diameter 1.6 inches.

Netsuke - A mask carver, by Masayuki. The carver is holding his lasted creation, a chisel resting in his other hand. Evidently satisfied with his work, the carver twists his face into the same expression of that of this subject- a kyogen mask of the "liar" (usofuki) type, one eye closed and the lips pursed into a sideways whistle. Japan, Asakusa, Edo (1603-1868) 19th century.

Pipecase of the otoshizutsu form carved out of stag antler with a décor in low relief of a tiger crouching on a rock with sprigs of bamboo surrounding the rock. Surrounding the himotoshi is more bamboo. Unsigned. Japan, 19th century.
H 7 7/8 inches
Worn with old damages in thinner areas of the stag horn and small hole approximately where the pipe head would be, further scraped off with a knife.