Catalog: Antiques: Regional Art: Asian: Japanese: Netsuke and Related (565)

Late 19th century marine netsuke of a scholar holding a scroll. Nicely carved, decent face, good patina. Height 1.84 inches.

19th century ojime (slide bead for tightening the cord going from netsuke to inro) in drum shape made out of sections of rosewood and staghorn. Very pleasant to the touch, beautiful wear and patina. Diameter 0.65 inches.

19th century boxwood netsuke of two scholar-hermits wearing simple robes and leaf capes and skirts, totally absorbed by the game of GO. Perfectly captured mood of quiet concentration. Very good assured carving, great faces, wonderful detailing of leaf capes, beautiful mellow patina. Signed SEIZAN in rectangular reserve on the bottom - the artist is listed on p. 928 of NETSUKE & INRO ARTISTS AND HOW TO READ THEIR SIGNATURES by George Lazarnick. Height 1.22 inches.

19th century boxwood netsuke of Sennin Tobosaku showing off the Peach of Immortality which he stole from a tree in the garden of Seiobo, the Chinese Queen of the Fairies, where it ripens only once it 3 thousand years. Excellent carving, great face, wonderful flow to the lines of his robe, small old loss to the peach...

Early 19th century wooden netsuke of a snarling shishi (Buddhist lion) seated on a base. Wood is lacquered in Negoro style - golden lacquer over dark red/brown over black, so as it wears first red, then black and then wood start showing, thus adding yet another color to the piece. Very smart use of lacquering technique, wonderful depiction of its face, ribs and bushy tail, beautiful wear to the surface, really nice feel of age to the piece. Height 1.40 inches.

Very tall early 19th century netsuke of a strange foreigner wearing richly decorated Chinese dress and European pantaloons with a karako (Chinese boy) sitting on his shoulders. He is holding a scroll in one hand, and there is a small drum hanging off his belt on his right side. Strong early carving, excellent detailing, wonderful face with a perfectly captured expression of slight madness, textile highlights on his belly are inlaid with turtle shell...

19th century small lacquer netsuke carved in a shape of mokugye - a Buddhist gong with 2 dragons contesting a Precious Gem in their mouths. Carved out of a slab of lacquer, which was made of differently colored layers, thus giving the finished piece rich play of colors. Beautiful patina, signed with a single character MITSU. Height 0.96 inches.

Late 18th to early 19th century glass ojime (slide bead for tightening the cord going from netsuke to inro) in seed shape with blue and white starburst pattern. Beautifully made, wonderful feel of age, very pleasant patina. Height 0.86 0. Inches

19th century staghorn ojime (slide bead for tightening the cord going from netsuke to inro) carved in seed shape with sunken relief carving of a cucumber and an eggplant. Excellent design in Japanese taste, green and brown stained vegetables, natural imperfections in staghorn, great patina. Height 5/8 inches.

19th century 2-toned ichii (yew wood) netsuke of a seated chubby puppy. Netsuke is skillfully carved in characteristic Hida school ittobori (one cut) style with clever use of wood color and structure to add to the charm of the piece. Wonderful face with surprised expression, eyes are inlaid with black horn, wonderful mellow patina. Signed SUKENORI on the bottom - for information on the artist see NETSUKE & INRO ARTISTS AND HOW TO READ THEIR SIGNATURES by George Lazarnick, p. 1048...

Early 19th century netsuke depicting one of the Suikoden heroes holding a heavy axe in his hands, and with a large sword in dragon scabbard on his back. Chinese book called Shui-Hu-Chuan (Suikoden in Japanese, The Water Margin in English) was very popular in the capital Edo. It contained numerous tales of an outlaw named Sung-Chiang and his 108 followers. Very good detailed carving, wonderful face with expression of tense concentration, beautiful staining, excellent wear and patina...

19th century staghorn netsuke of seated Kikujido - the Chrysanthemum Boy - with a chrysanthemum flower by his shoulder. Kikujido was a favorite page of the Emperor, but was condemned to exile. The Emperor taught Kikujido a sentence by Buddha to thank him for his loyalty. Kikujido left and settled in a valley full of chrysanthemums, and spent his days writing the phrase on the petals so he would not forget it. Nice carving, good face, excellent patina, great feel of age...

19th century Asakusa school staghorn netsuke of three auspicious objects - a fan, a coin and a magatama. Strong piece in Japanese taste typical of Asakusa school, beautiful dark staining, warm patina, darker porous areas as is usual with staghorn. Length 1.62 inches.

1910s (late Meiji to early Taisho) Japanese wooden netsuke carved as a bean pod, its stem forming himotoshi (cord opening. Judging by the material ichii (Japanese yew wood) and clean realistic treatment of the subject, the netsuke was carved by a Hida school carver. Beautifully done, clever use of wood color and structure to add to the charm of the piece, wonderful patina. Simple elegant piece in Japanese taste. Length 2.21 inches.

Early 19th century staghorn netsuke of a a group of seashells, including a clam, an abalone and a turrid. Good design utilizing natural properties of the material, nicely carved, superb wear and patina from 200 years of use. Length 1.59 inches.

19th century glass ojime (slide bead for tightening the cord going from netsuke to inro) in seed shape made to imitate layered agate stone. Beautifully made, wonderful feel of age, very pleasant patina. Length 1.18 Inches.

Late 18th to early 19th century glass ojime (slide bead for tightening the cord going from netsuke to inro) in ball shape with yellow, red, blue and white herringbone pattern. Beautifully made, wonderful feel of age, very pleasant patina. Diameter 0.76 Inches.

Late 18th to early 19th century glass ojime (slide bead for tightening the cord going from netsuke to inro) in ball shape with yellow body and red/white/black “eyes”. Beautifully made, wonderful feel of age, very pleasant patina. Diameter 0.75 Inches.