Beschreibung:

Unsigned Japan, 18th century, Edo period (1615-1868) The Dutchman standing proud and tall, holding a rifle in one hand, a finely carved, strange fox-like animal with hooves and a long tail slung over his shoulder and tied to the barrel of the gun with a rope, the remaining twist of the rope in his right hand. He wears a typical feathered hat and long curly lozenge wig. The seam of his long coat is finely stippled and engraved with crashing waves. Large, asymmetrical himotoshi through the back. HEIGHT 10.1 cm Condition: Excellent condition with only minor surface wear. Provenance: Private collection, purchased at Sotheby’s, 20 June 2002, London, lot 463. Literature comparison: The carver is familiar from the very distinctive sharp and dramatically undercut chin, as well as the style of decoration to the coat. His tall and impressive figures of Dutchman are usually depicted holding a gun and with some type of game slung over the shoulder. For a similar example, see the catalog of the H.G. Beasley collection, Sotheby’s, 14th March 1984, London, lot 87, illustrated in color on p. 43. Another is also illustrated Eskenazi Ltd. (1993) Japanese Netsuke from the Carré Collection, no. 1, and illustrated on the cover of the catalog. Auction comparison: For a Dutchman of similar prowess see Bonhams, The Harriet Szechenyi Sale of Japanese Art, 8 November 2011, London, lot 97 (sold for 21,250 GBP).