19th century boxwood netsuke of a blind masseuse working on a client. The masseur has a typical bump on his head, as is usual with portrayal of blind in netsuke. Wonderful carving with great faces, muscles of the client and excellent depiction of textile lines, rich warm patina. Signed NOBUFUSA on the bottom - the artist is listed on p. 834 of NETSUKE & INRO ARTISTS AND HOW TO READ THEIR SIGNATURES by George Lazarnick. Height 1 1/8 inches.

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.

19th century boxwood netsuke depicting a playful puppy about to climb onto a back of its sibling. Wonderful sculpture, great rendition of their chubby bodies giving volume to the piece, excellent faces with horn inlaid eyes, delicately incised whiskers. Beautifully stained, superb wear and patina. Height 1 7/16 inches.

19th century boxwood netsuke of a reclining deer with its head turned back, hooves bent beneath its body. Perfectly captured moment, wonderful sense of volume, excellent texture of its coat, beautiful patina. Length 1 3/4 inches.

Length: 2.9 cm (1.2 in)
Height: 4 cm (1.7 in)
Depth: 1.9 cm (0.8 in)

Fine early Japanese carved netsuke of a man riding on a Shi Shi dog; excellent old patina on natural material; some expected wear; good condition

19th century boxwood netsuke of snickering Hotei covering his mouth with an open fan and holding kakhara in the other. Kakhara is an implement for a wandering monk or pilgrim a Buddhist rattle to scare off small creatures like snakes and insects, and thus prevent the carrier from stepping on them. Hotei is one of the 7 Gods of Good Luck and is considered an incarnation of Maitreya - the Buddha of the future...

19th century Japanese tobacco pipe consisting of a bamboo/reed stem and 2 metal parts each depicting Zen Buddhism patriarch Daruma enveloped in his robe. Bronze with beautiful copper colored patina, smoking part with characteristic small bowl (Japanese used finely shredded tobacco, and usually made just 2-3 puffs) and mouthpiece are made of paktong - an alloy made of copper, nickel and zinc used in Japan (sometimes called white bronze)...

19th century Japanese bronze / brass tobacco pipe with flattened body inscribed with a lengthy poem on one side and 4 characters on the other. Smoking end has characteristic small bowl - Japanese used finely shredded tobacco and usually made just 2-3 puffs...

19th century Japanese Asakusa school staghorn kiseruzutsu - tobacco pipe holder - carved in a shape of a stem of Fungus of Immortality with five fungus heads. Could serve as nyoi, or Ruyi scepter - traditional symbol of scholarship and transmission of knowledge. Elegant carving, excellent rendition of fungus head textures, superb staining typical for the Asakusa School pieces. Very clever design, excellent wear and patina on the surface. Length 7 1/2 inches.

19th century Japanese Asakusa school staghorn kiseruzutsu - tobacco pipe case - carved with a scholarly landscape with a temple among hills and rocks by a pine tree, and a village in the distance. Clever carving incorporating porous texture of its center as element of design, nicely chunky. Beautiful wear and patina, in great condition. Length 8 inches.

19th century Japanese Asakusa school staghorn kiseruzutsu - tobacco pipe case - carved with a mountainous landscape and figures of Kanzan reading an open scroll and Jittoku leaning on his broom. According to a legend, Kanzan and Jittoku lived in a kitchen of a Chinese Zen Buddhist monastery and talked nonsensical language, which some took as a sign of them being enlightened. Very clever carving incorporating outer texture of the antler and porous nature of its center as elements of design...

Late Meiji / early Taisho period (1910s) Japanese kiseruzutsu - tobacco pipe holder - made out of a section of bamboo stem. Carved in shallow relief with Kanon - the Boddhisattva of Compassion - seated on grass covered rockery over a stream. Wonderful tranquil face, excellent use of katakiribori - carving technique recreating the brush strokes used in sumi ink painting. Inscribed with a lengthy poem at the top...

19th century Japanese Asakusa school staghorn kiseruzutsu - tobacco pipe case - of elegant simple shape with medium relief carving of a jar containg an ikebana arrangement with lotus leaf and 2 different flowers, channel for hanging carved under the upper flower. Excellent carving and etching, beautiful wear and patina, clever use of outer texture of the antler as element of design, in great condition. Length 8 inches.

19th century Japanese Asakusa school staghorn kiseruzutsu - tobacco pipe case - carved with the Monkey King with a bamboo stick in his hand standing under a pine tree and looking at two monkey warriors also armed with poles. Clever carving incorporating outer texture of the antler and porous nature of its center as elements of design. Beautiful wear and patina, two holes on the sides appear to be original. Length 7 7/8 inches.

19th century Japanese kiseruzutsu - tobacco pipe holder. The material of the object is polished branch of umimatsu - in Japanese it literally means SEA PINE, and describes species of black coral with dense texture, concentric growth rings, and amber colored inclusions in the black material. Very simple elegant shape, nicely fat and heavy, wonderful patina and sheen to the surface. Great dignified piece, unusual material, very pleasant to the touch. Length 8 5/8 inches.

19th century Japanese kiseruzutsu - tobacco pipe holder - carved out of a section of stag antler. Very clever use of natural skin texture and color to represent an old rotting pine log with its peeling bark. Two holes in the upper back part for hanging. Elegant piece in Japanese taste, excellent patina, in perfect condition. Length 8 1/2 inches.

19th century wooden kiseruzutsu - Japanese tobacco pipe holder carved in a shape of a stem Fungus of Immortality with 2 heads. Very nice carving, clever design, himotoshi is formed by natural opening between stems, pleasant wear and patina on the surface. Length 8 inches.

Length: 3.8 cm (1.7 in)
Height: 3.2 cm (1.3 in)
Depth: 3 cm (1.2 in)

Japanese carved netsuke of a boy crouching over and holding a large peach; natural material; very well-modelled; good condition