19th century Japanese small lacquered wood netsuke representing a theatrical mask, probably that of Kentoku. Excellent intense face, great patina. Crisp detailing, nicely lacquered, some wear to the surface. Signed RYUUN on the back bar - the artist is listed in NETSUKE MASKS by Raymond Bushell, p. 175, signatures 241-243. Height 1.13 inches.

19th century Japanese small lacquered wood netsuke representing a theatrical mask of a bat with large ears and characteristic snout. Uncommon image, excellent intense face, great patina. Crisp detailing, nicely lacquered, some wear to the surface. Signed RYUUN on the back bar - the artist is listed in NETSUKE MASKS by Raymond Bushell, p. 175, signatures 241-243. Height 1.05 inches.

19th century Japanese small lacquered wood netsuke representing a theatrical mask of Shishiguchi - a lion mask used in scene 2 of the play Shakkyo. Uncommon image, excellent intense face, great patina. Crisp detailing, nicely lacquered, some wear to the surface. Signed RYUUN on the back bar - the artist is listed in NETSUKE MASKS by Raymond Bushell, p. 175, signatures 241-243. Height 1.23 inches.

19th century Japanese small lacquered wood netsuke representing a theatrical mask of horned green skinned demon. Uncommon image, excellent intense face, great patina. Crisp detailing, nicely lacquered, some wear to the surface. Signed RYUUN on the back bar - the artist is listed in NETSUKE MASKS by Raymond Bushell, p. 175, signatures 241-243. Height 1.15 inches.

19th century Japanese small lacquered wood netsuke representing a theatrical mask of Beshimi. Excellent intense face, great patina. Crisp detailing, nicely lacquered, some wear to the surface. Signed RYUUN on the back bar - the artist is listed in NETSUKE MASKS by Raymond Bushell, p. 175, signatures 241-243. Height 1.01 inches.

19th century Japanese small lacquered wood netsuke representing a theatrical mask of horned demon Hannya, its mouth wide open. Excellent intense face, great patina. Crisp detailing, nicely lacquered, some wear to the surface. Signed RYUUN on the back bar - the artist is listed in NETSUKE MASKS by Raymond Bushell, p. 175, signatures 241-243. Height 1.33 inches.

19th century Japanese small lacquered wood netsuke representing a theatrical mask of Emi-men. Uncommon image, excellent face with a wide smile, great patina. Crisp detailing, nicely lacquered, some wear to the surface. Signed RYUUN on the back bar - the artist is listed in NETSUKE MASKS by Raymond Bushell, p. 175, signatures 241-243. Height 1.07 inches.

19th century Japanese small lacquered wood netsuke representing a theatrical mask of horned green skinned demon. Uncommon image, excellent intense face, great patina. Crisp detailing, nicely lacquered, some wear to the surface. Signed RYUUN on the back bar - the artist is listed in NETSUKE MASKS by Raymond Bushell, p. 175, signatures 241-243. Height 1.27 inches.

Interesting stamp seal carved in fine serpentine stone almost black, Mesopotamian, c. 4th. mill. BC.

Rectangular seal, carved with an animal in the base and also finely decorated on the other side.

Size: 19 mm. x 14 mm. 8 mm. thick.

Condition: Choice Very fine.

Added to the Oberländer collection in 1992...

A rare and fine condition for type cylinder seal made in a piece of bone utilicing the original shape, carved with dynastic triangular patterns, Mesopotamian, c. 4th.-3rd. mill. BC.

Size: 21 mm. tall and 15 mm. wide.

Condition: Nice Very fine, smaller chipping too the ends, fine patina.

Added to the Oberländer collection in 1995...

A fine Anatolian stamp seal of the Uruk style of the 4th.-3rd. mill. BC.

A finely engraved larger stone stamp seal, and with a horned animal in the base in deep relief.

Size: 26 mm. in diameter and 13 mm...

A lovely eastern Anatolian stamp seal of a rectangular gable form, Eastern Anatolia, 4th. mill. BC.

The seal carved with animal on the base probably birds flying?.

Size: 41 mm. wide and 21 mm. tall, 7 mm. thick.

Condition: Nice VF, slight wear but attractive and with a sharp imprint.

Added to the Oberländer collection in 1995...

A triangular stamp seal with handle, Western Mesopotamia, c. 3rd. millenium BC.

Very large for type and with an interesting two colour stone where the upperside is calsified white and the base is in the original brown stone. The seal is engraved with a reclining animal on it's base.

Size: 29 x 29 mm. 18 mm. tall.

Condition: Very fine, intact and very attractive, with much even wear.

Added to the Oberländer collection in 1995...

18th century netsuke of a recumbent cow and a calf who licks the face of its mother. Strong early carving excellently captured mood of the scene, superbly carved to the last detail, their hooves bent beneath their bodies, the cow wearing a halter with a length of rope lying across her back, eyes are inlaid with dark horn. Beautiful wear consistent with age, yellowing on the bottom where netsuke was touching the silk of kimono and picked up oil from the body of the owner...

A Chinese, Nephrite jade, Jue; Neolithic. 1000-4000 BC. You are free to return the item for a refund if not fully satisfied. Dimensions, 3.5 cm Provenace: I was happy to be able to buy the collection of Chinese, Neolithic jades from the deceased estate of a distinguished Professor and collector of Chinese art. The collection formed in the 1980s to 90s.

Early 19th century lacquered wood netsuke of a boy climbing onto a huge double gourd. Nice subject (most probably a reference to a rebus), excellent face with a wide smile. Wood is lacquered in Negoro style - red lacquer over black, so as it wears the black and later wood start showing. Wear consistent with age, wonderful patina. Length 1.85 inches.

19th century netsuke carved out of burl wood, its natural shape resembling reishi fungus (Fungus of Immortality, and with low relief carving of a snail on its top. Very clever piece, excellent carving of the mollusk and its shell. Signed on the stem ISHIKOKU (alternative reading is Sekitani). Himotoshi is formed by a natural branch on the bottom. Head of the fungus length 1.95 inches.

19th century netsuke carved out of burl wood, its natural shape resembling a mushroom or a reishi fungus (Fungus of Immortality. Very clever natural piece with practically no carving, superb patina, very pleasant to hold. Length 2.57 inches.