Early 19th century wooden netsuke carved as standing Hotei (one of the 7 Gods of Good Luck, also considered to be the incarnation of Maitreya - the Buddha of the future) with his hand on his large belly. Wood is lacquered in Negoro style - red lacquer over black, so as it wears the black and then wood starts showing. Great quality carving - see his face with a crooked smile and finely textured stubble, fingers with well defined fingernails, flow of the robe folds...

19th century ichii (yew wood) netsuke of a resting wild boar, its feet tucked beneath it, head raised. Netsuke is skillfully carved by the master of the Hida school in characteristic ittobori (one cut) style with clever use of wood texture to represent the creature’s fur and add to charm of the piece. For similar examples see Bushell’s NETSUKE FAMILIAR AND UNFAMILIAR, p. 128. Excellent rendition of facial expression, wonderful mellow patina...

18th century netsuke of an emaciated Gama sennin wearing old monk’s robe with his ribs visible sitting on rockery as his constant companion - a toad - affectionately puts its paws on the man’s knees. Somehow netsuke manages to convey the relationship between two characters...

A Japanese wood netsuke depicting a group of mushrooms with a caterpillar on the dome of the highest. Himotoshi is under the base. Edo period 19th century Sizes: 3,5 x 3,8 x 3,7 cm. Condition report: Good condition

Rather unusual 18th century stag antler netsuke carved as young Yoshitsune holding naginata (a machete on a wooden shaft) as he performs a high jump over the hand of warrior monk Benkei on the Gojo Bridge. For an account of the historical encounter of Yoshitsune and Benkei at the Gojo bridge in Kyoto see H. Joly LEGEND IN JAPANESE ART, p. 82. Unusual treatment of the subject, supremely clever use of the natural shape of available carving material...

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.

Late 19th century boxwood netsuke of a catfish doing a bit of an acrobatic exercise. Catfish (Namazu) is believed to cause earthquakes, so this one looks to me at about 6.9 on Richter scale. Excellent quality carving, great face with finely carved numerous teeth, wonderful attention to details such as fin and tail textures, beautiful patina. Signed SHUNZAN on the belly - the artist is listed in NETSUKE by Neil Davey (p. 529, number 2618). Height 1 3/4 inches.

18th century netsuke of a karako (Chinese boy) wearing nicely decorated robe, holding a fan in his hand and seating on a very large bag. Strong early netsuke, great facial expression with an attractive smile, well carved textile patterns, warm yellow patina, old age lines. Height 1 5/8inches.

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.

Early 19th century marine (walrus tusk) netsuke of a standing oni, its foot on rockery, leaning on a huge war club and eating a rice cake, and a puppy at his feet looking wiistfully at the same cake. Wonderful strong early carving, wonderful face, excellent depiction of its muscular arms and legs. Grainy texture of walrus tusk core can be seen at the bottom and on the back of the carving. himotoshi is formed by natural openings in the carving. Height 2.47 inches.

18th century kokutan (ebony) netsuke of a shishi (Buddhist lion) crouching by rockery. Strong early carving, nicely captured playful attitude of the beast, unusual raised umbrella-like bushy tail. Large deep himotoshi, great patina with characteristic ebony sheen. Length 1 7/16 inches.

This is a finely hand carved, 19th Century Wood Netsuke depicting Ikkaku Sennin (the Single Horn Sage) carrying on his back the beautiful Lady Sendaramo. According to Legend, Ikkaku is an inmortal who could no resist the sight of women on the earth, and he was punished by the loss of his power. He fell in love and married the beautiful Lady Sendaramo, with whom the Sennin is often depicted, carrying her home on his back. Wonderful carving with very fine details. Unsigned...

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...

Unusual 19th century netsuke of a cloth Daruma doll with wonderful inquisitive face and a shaped opening on the back with anabori (cavern carving) of a palace with a procession of scholars crossing a bridge and pavilions in the back. The cavern is carved unusually deep, and pavilions in the back are very well defined, almost impossible to photograph properly. Excellent face with horn inlaid convex eyes, beautiful stippling defining the texture of its cloth body, wonderful functional shape...

Height: 3.5 cm (1.3 in)
Width: 2.8 cm (1.2 in)
Depth: 1.7 cm (0.8 in)

Japanese netsuke; probably whale tooth or walrus; depicts a Hotei with his bag; early angular form; very good honey-coloured patina; good condition

Chunky 18th century netsuke of a sitting shishi (Buddhist lion) with its front paws on a ball. Great early carving with excellent depiction of its curly hair and powerful face, eyes are inlaid with black horn. Beautiful patina and wear to the piece, old age lines, pleasantly heavy. Wonderful feel of age, very quiet serious netsuke. Height 1 7/8 inches.

19th century staghorn netsuke of a bat resting on an old roof tile. The tile face has raised characters reading TODAI-JI - it is one of the Seven Great Temples located in Nara, and is the headquarters of the Kegon school of Buddhism. Typical stag antler texture to the material, superb quality stippling and staining perfectly imitating the rough texture of a ceramic tile, extraordinary rich patina...

NETSUKE – Old man and his dog. Good and rare model of an old man, figure of chinese sage, standing and leaning to the right,, his hand on his beard and smiling wearing a beautiful large patterned robe. A dog is sitting at his feet. In the Behrens catalogue by Henri Joly, a similar exemple is represented as Wei Peh-Yang, from the Han dynasty. Also the same subject in the old collection Carlo Monzino. Beautiful patina, finely carved. Japan Edo (1603-1868) 18th century. CIC n°FR2207514904-K