Catalog: Antiques: Regional Art: Asian: Japanese: Netsuke and Related (560)

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.

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...

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.

19th century Asakusa school staghorn netsuke in a ryusa shape with openwork carving of a water dragon among lotus leaves, flowers and buds. Superb design and excellent quality sharp carving, extraordinary warm patina, darker porous areas as is usual with staghorn. Diameter 1 5/8 inches.

1920s 2-toned chosen matsu (Korean pine wood) netsuke of himono (dried fish). Well captured essence of the object, carved in characteristic Hida school style with clever use of wood colors and structure to add to the charm of the piece. Excellent sense of volume, beautiful patina. Length 3.21 inches.

Unusual 19th century bronze netsuke of a seated monk. Nicely cast, beautiful patina, some wear. Characters on the bottom appera to read ROKUSHIN, possibly the name of the artist. Height 1.23 inches.

19th century Asakusa school staghorn netsuke in manju shape engraved with a falcon seated on a pine branch. Nicely made, clever use of natural texture and brown color of outside patches on an antler as parts of design. Porous center of the antler can be seen on the sides, very good patina. Diameter 1.4 inches.

19th century Japanese carved wood obidome (sash ornament) in a shape of a theatrical mask of demon Hannya. Could have been used as netsuke as well. Obidome is worn on an obi cord that holds the obi sash together, and is the only type of jewelry worn by Japanese women on formal occasions. Good design, nice detailing, eyes highlighted with gold lacquer. Height 1.8 inches.

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.