Catalog: Antiques: Regional Art: Asian: Japanese (899)

19th century boxwood netsuke depicting a sitting man who is about to sneeze. The scene represents a street entertainer, in this case a man who tickles himself with a stick and sneezes for the delight of the audience. Excellent carving with unusual absurdly long and narrow head, perfectly captured facial expression, beautifully stained, wonderful patina. Height 1 3/8 inches.

Early 19th century boxwood netsuke of a standing blind masseur with a staff in his hands and a habitual bump on his head. Wood is lacquered in Negoro style - red lacquer over black, so as it wears the black and then wood starts showing, thus adding yet another color to the piece. Wonderful elegant carving with fantastic sour face and clean lines of his robe, rich warm patina. Height 2 1/8 inches.

Early 19th century wooden netsuke of sitting man with a folded fan in his lap. The figure probably represents a traveling street entertainer - a storyteller. Superbly expressive face left unlacquered to allow for detailed carving, the rest of the netsuke is lacquered in Negoro style - red lacquer over black, so as it wears the black and then wood starts showing, thus adding yet another color to the piece...

19th century Satsuma ceramic vase with tear drop body and narrow neck with painted enamel decoration of a seated rakan (one of the 18 original disciples of the Buddha), his raised hand holding a bowl, Benten - the only female among the 7 Gods of Good Fortune - seated next to him, and an attendant boy with box of offerings kneeling between them. Extraordinary high quality detailed painting - see fine depiction of their faces and supremely fine rich clothes with numerous patterns...

19th century wood and metal kagamibuta (mirror lid) netsuke with patinated bronze top inlaid with gold, silver and bronze and depicting a puppy cautiously touching a turtle with its paw by a bamboo fence with flowering morning glory vine wrapped around it. Wonderfully captured inquisitive nature of the puppy, beautiful golden dots representing moss. Excellent textured wooden bowl with carved floriform fitting . Diameter of the metal disk 1 5/16 inches, bowl diameter 1 11/16 inches.

Early 19th century netsuke of Sofu - one of 7 Sages of the Bamboo Grove - leading his ox away, so it will not drink from a river polluted several miles upstream when his fellow sage washed his ears after hearing about an offer for him to serve the Emperor. Very well carved, nicely captured interaction between two characters, pleasant wear consistent with age...

19th century kagamibuta (“mirror lid”) netsuke with bronze top depicting a not-so-repentant oni with a Buddhist gong striker in one hand and a votive plaque in the other as it prostrates himself to serve as a stepping stool for a beautiful maiden who is trying to reach a branch of flowering wisteria. A subtle shunga piece alluding to a good intention and a worldly temptation ruining the attempt. Excellent quality work with copper inlays and gilding. Old turned bowl with one stabilized crack...

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.

Tall late 18th to early 19th century wooden netsuke of a standing emaciated sennin wearing a tattered robe and leaf skirt and cape and holding onto a very long staff with gnarled top. Awesome face, wonderful knobby scull, beautiful rendition of his hair, ribs and limbs. Wood is lacquered in Negoro style - gold lacquer over red, so as the netsuke wears the color of a lower layer starts showing. Very beautifully done himotoshi on the back, superb wear and patina, very impressive sculpture...

18th century netsuke of a seated mother monkey patiently suffering the indignity of her young grabbing her ear as it climbs onto her head. Fantastic expression of existential contemplation on her face, excellent incised and etched coat, beautiful wear. Netsuke of characteristic 18th century triangular section, superb honey colored patina. Height 2 inches.

19th century kagamibuta (“mirror lid”) netsuke with wooden bowl and metal top depicting a not-so-repentant oni with a Buddhist gong on its chest and a striker in its hand as he follows a beautiful maiden who holds a branch of flowering wisteria in her hand. A subtle shunga piece alluding to a good intention and a worldly temptation ruining the attempt. Excellent quality work with copper, silver and gold inlays, in great condition...

19th century wooden netsuke of sitting Okame snickering as she fondles a long stem of a mushroom in her hand. The netsuke is definitely of shunga type with not so subtle sexual connotation. Wonderfully carved (see her endearingly ugly face, hair arrangement and flowing lines of her kimono), beautiful patina, little nicks here and there. Height 1 13/16 inches.

Very unusual and rare early 19th century Japanese cloisonne plate with flowers in the center surrounded by a border of stylized clouds in cavetto and 3 dragons chasing each other along the wide rim, flower design on the bottom and 3 scrolled feet...

19th century Japanese wooden nyoi - a Buddhist scepter - with scrolling finial. Nyoi, or Ruyi scepter is a traditional symbol of scholarship and transmission of knowledge. Dense fruitwood with beautiful texture, simple elegant carving, wonderful patina to the surface from being handled, old ink spots in places, very pleasant to the touch. Great subtle piece for scholar’s table, or a practicing Buddhist. Length 12 1/4 inches.

1890s - 1910s (late Meiji - early Taisho) Japanese inkstone in simple rectangular shape with carved keyfret border and central grinding area. Used for grinding of an inkstick on the surface of the stone. Akama stone of shiunseki type with characteristic reddish brown color - Akama inkstones are quite famous, and come from the Yamaguchi Prefecture. Beautiful patina, traces of ink on the grinding surface, comes with fitted wooden cover. Very nice object for scholars table, in excellent condition...

18th century netsuke of a seated skinny dog wearing a collar with bell and resting one front paw on a cloth ball. Strong early piece, beautifully carved - great face with horn inlaid eyes, wonderful rendition of its spine and ribs, superbly carved paws, netsuke of characteristic 18th century triangular section, beautiful wear and patina (some irregularities on the surface on the darker colored part of its back), old age lines...

Very unusual 19th century mixed metal and wood netsuke of a boy quietly playing a reed flute while leaning against a side of a resting buffalo, 2 baskets next to him. The subject is ushidoji (also called bokudo) symbolizing the perfect peace of mind, and is considered to be one of the stages on the way to the Buddhahood. Excellent quality metalwork of shakudo (buffalo), solid silver (boy) and copper (baskets), perfectly captured mood of the scene...

19th century staghorn netsuke carved as a cluster of all 7 masks of shichifukujin - Seven Gods of Good Fortune: Ebisu - god of fishermen and merchants, Daikoku - god of wealth, commerce and trade, Bishamonten - god of warriors, Benten - goddess of knowledge, art and beauty, Fukurokuju - god of happiness, wealth and longevity, Hotei - the fat and happy god of abundance and good health, and Jurojin - god of wisdom. Essentially the netsuke is a wish for good luck and serves as a talisman as well...