Lot details By Tomotada, signed Tomotada 友忠 Japan, Kyoto, 18th century, Edo period (1615-1868) Published: Hurtig, Bernard (1973) Masterpieces of Netsuke Art: One Thousand Favorites of Leading Collectors, p. 150, no. 604. Davey, Neil K. (1974) Netsuke: A comprehensive study based on the M.T. Hindson Collection, p. 376, no. 1129. Hurtig, Bernhard (1975) What’s New at the Auctions, INCS Journal Vol. 4, No. 2, p. 43, lot 140. Hurtig, Bernhard (1980) What’s New at the Auctions, INCS Journal Vol. 8, No. 1, p. 11, lot 14. Meinertzhagen, Frederick / Lazarnick, George (1986) MCI, Part B, p. 912. Superbly and sensitively carved, more naturalistic and less angular than many of this carver’s contemporaries in Kyoto, depicting a youthful Gama Sennin seated in a relaxed pose and holding his three-legged toad in one hand, the toad touching his rotund belly, the underside well carved and with one generously excavated himotoshi, the other himotoshi to the lower back next to the signature TOMOTADA within a rectangular reserve. The sennin wearing a loose-fitting robe with finely incised patterned hem and foliate designs as well as neatly rendered folds, and adorned with the characteristic leafy skirt and apron, his hair elegantly falling in strands over the back and shoulders, his face with a cheerful expression, the eyes inlaid with dark horn, the mouth agape, the toad with subtly stippled skin. LENGTH 4.3 cm, HEIGHT 4.4 cm Condition: Very good condition with minor surface wear, expected minor age cracks. Fine, smooth, warm patina. Provenance: Ex-collection J. A. Fairley. Ex-collection Mark T. Hindson. Sotheby’s, 25 November 1969, London, lot 756. Ex-collection Martin S. Newstead, acquired from the above. Sotheby’s, 18 November 1974, London, lot 140 (sold for 2,900 GBP). Sotheby’s, 29 May 1980, London, lot 14 (sold for 7,805 GBP). Van Ham, Asiatische Kunst, 7 December 2017, Cologne, lot 2246 (sold for 10,965 EUR). Mentioned in the Soken Kisho, Tomotada is perhaps the most renowned and certainly the most copied of all Netsuke artists. His models were chiefly animal subjects and depictions of human or legendary figures are rare. The Soken Kisho notes that he carved oxen and that his work was copied in his own lifetime. In his card index, Meinertzhagen wrote of this piece, “An original example of this celebrated master’s work. The signature is in harmony and is characteristic. The piece can be confidently accepted as genuine by this master.” Trade Certificate: In accordance with new EU regulations that went into effect in January 2022, we have applied for a certificate to sell this item within the EU. We expect the Austrian Federal Ministry for Climate Action, Environment, Energy, Mobility, Innovation and Technology to issue the certificate in 4-8 weeks. The item can only be shipped / handed over once the certificate has been issued.
Lot details By Tomotada, signed Tomotada 友忠 Japan, Kyoto, 18th century, Edo period (1615-1868) Published: Hurtig, Bernard (1973) Masterpieces of Netsuke Art: One Thousand Favorites of Leading Collectors, p. 150, no. 604. Davey, Neil K. (1974) Netsuke: A comprehensive study based on the M.T. Hindson Collection, p. 376, no. 1129. Hurtig, Bernhard (1975) What’s New at the Auctions, INCS Journal Vol. 4, No. 2, p. 43, lot 140. Hurtig, Bernhard (1980) What’s New at the Auctions, INCS Journal Vol. 8, No. 1, p. 11, lot 14. Meinertzhagen, Frederick / Lazarnick, George (1986) MCI, Part B, p. 912. Superbly and sensitively carved, more naturalistic and less angular than many of this carver’s contemporaries in Kyoto, depicting a youthful Gama Sennin seated in a relaxed pose and holding his three-legged toad in one hand, the toad touching his rotund belly, the underside well carved and with one generously excavated himotoshi, the other himotoshi to the lower back next to the signature TOMOTADA within a rectangular reserve. The sennin wearing a loose-fitting robe with finely incised patterned hem and foliate designs as well as neatly rendered folds, and adorned with the characteristic leafy skirt and apron, his hair elegantly falling in strands over the back and shoulders, his face with a cheerful expression, the eyes inlaid with dark horn, the mouth agape, the toad with subtly stippled skin. LENGTH 4.3 cm, HEIGHT 4.4 cm Condition: Very good condition with minor surface wear, expected minor age cracks. Fine, smooth, warm patina. Provenance: Ex-collection J. A. Fairley. Ex-collection Mark T. Hindson. Sotheby’s, 25 November 1969, London, lot 756. Ex-collection Martin S. Newstead, acquired from the above. Sotheby’s, 18 November 1974, London, lot 140 (sold for 2,900 GBP). Sotheby’s, 29 May 1980, London, lot 14 (sold for 7,805 GBP). Van Ham, Asiatische Kunst, 7 December 2017, Cologne, lot 2246 (sold for 10,965 EUR). Mentioned in the Soken Kisho, Tomotada is perhaps the most renowned and certainly the most copied of all Netsuke artists. His models were chiefly animal subjects and depictions of human or legendary figures are rare. The Soken Kisho notes that he carved oxen and that his work was copied in his own lifetime. In his card index, Meinertzhagen wrote of this piece, “An original example of this celebrated master’s work. The signature is in harmony and is characteristic. The piece can be confidently accepted as genuine by this master.” Trade Certificate: In accordance with new EU regulations that went into effect in January 2022, we have applied for a certificate to sell this item within the EU. We expect the Austrian Federal Ministry for Climate Action, Environment, Energy, Mobility, Innovation and Technology to issue the certificate in 4-8 weeks. The item can only be shipped / handed over once the certificate has been issued.
.jpg "Source: Christie's")
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.jpg "Source: Christie's")
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