By Gyokusai, signed Gyokusai 玉齋 Japan, Asakusa, Tokyo, second half of 19th century Carved from the rosette of a choice piece of stag antler, fittingly stained green to depict a kappa head applied with some hair, the staring eyes double inlaid in mother-of-pearl and black lustrous horn. The hinged jaw is movable, revealing sharp inlaid teeth and a red-colored tongue. The natural surface of the antler is utilized masterfully to depict the warty skin of the kappa. The top is incised with a swirling pattern indicating the vital fluids of the kappa - amusingly, since kappa are ferocious but polite creatures, the best way to defeat a kappa is by respectfully bowing, so that it shall return the favor, thus spilling out its vital fluids and rendering it motionless. Himotoshi through the back and signed inside a mother-of-pearl cartouche GYOKUSAI. HEIGHT (mouth closed) 3.7 cm Condition: Excellent condition. Provenance: Ex-collection Dr. Walter Heihs, sold at Sotheby’s, 17 June 1998, lot 732. Then European collection P. Jacquesson. Auction comparison: A very similar, yet unsigned netsuke from the Brockhaus collection was sold at Lempertz, Netsuke from the Albert Brockhaus Collection, 27 June 2020, Cologne, lot 581 (sold for 4,250 EUR).
By Gyokusai, signed Gyokusai 玉齋 Japan, Asakusa, Tokyo, second half of 19th century Carved from the rosette of a choice piece of stag antler, fittingly stained green to depict a kappa head applied with some hair, the staring eyes double inlaid in mother-of-pearl and black lustrous horn. The hinged jaw is movable, revealing sharp inlaid teeth and a red-colored tongue. The natural surface of the antler is utilized masterfully to depict the warty skin of the kappa. The top is incised with a swirling pattern indicating the vital fluids of the kappa - amusingly, since kappa are ferocious but polite creatures, the best way to defeat a kappa is by respectfully bowing, so that it shall return the favor, thus spilling out its vital fluids and rendering it motionless. Himotoshi through the back and signed inside a mother-of-pearl cartouche GYOKUSAI. HEIGHT (mouth closed) 3.7 cm Condition: Excellent condition. Provenance: Ex-collection Dr. Walter Heihs, sold at Sotheby’s, 17 June 1998, lot 732. Then European collection P. Jacquesson. Auction comparison: A very similar, yet unsigned netsuke from the Brockhaus collection was sold at Lempertz, Netsuke from the Albert Brockhaus Collection, 27 June 2020, Cologne, lot 581 (sold for 4,250 EUR).
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.jpg "Source: Christie's")
.jpg "Source: Christie's")
