Until 31st Dec, 2025
Buy it now
Ɏ HIDEMASA: AN IVORY NETSUKE OF A FUKURA SUZUME WITH MILLET
Lot 135 - NE0525
By Shuosai Hidemasa I, signed Hidemasa 秀正
Japan, Osaka, c. 1800, Edo period (1615-1868)
Finely carved in motion, the stylized lucky bird looking to the side and holding a spray of millet in its beak. The feathers are meticulously carved and stained, the eyes are double inlaid in two-toned reddish horn. Generously excavated, asymmetrical himotoshi through the underside and signed within a wavy reserve HIDEMASA.
LENGTH 4.9 cm
Condition: Very good condition with minor wear to edges and expected natural age cracks.
Provenance: From the Estate of Madelyn Hickmott. Sotheby’s New York, 8 February 1989, lot 259, sold for USD 2,200 (or approx. EUR 5,500 converted and adjusted for inflation at the time of writing). St. James Gallery, Zurich, 1991. A noted private collection, acquired from the above. A copy of the attest from St. James’s Gallery, along with an invoice dated 21 October 1991, indicating a sale price of CHF 15,600 (or approx. EUR 21,800 converted and adjusted for inflation at the time of writing), accompanies this lot.
Hidemasa I, Osaka (and possibly Kyoto), is believed to have been a pupil of an earlier carver of the same name in Osaka, who primarily worked in wood. His pupil and successor was Shuosai Hidemasa II. Other artists associated with the same school in terms of style and subject included Masakazu, Masatomo, Masatsugu, and Natsuki.
Both the sparrow and millet carry positive symbolic meanings. Fukura suzume literally means "puffed-up sparrow". Its meaning as a symbol of happiness is based on the homonym "fuku", which means both happiness and swelling. Grains, including corn, millet, and wheat, were regarded in Chinese culture as auspicious symbols of fertility and prosperity with their many seeds and kernels. It is common for Japanese artists to borrow such symbolism from the Chinese visual vocabulary.
Literature comparison:
Compare a closely related ivory netsuke of a sparrow with millet, signed Hidemasa and attributed to Hidemasa I, illustrated in Meinertzhagen, Frederick / Lazarnick, George (1986) MCI, Part A, p. 141.
Trade Certificate: The trade certificate for the sale of this lot within the EU has been granted (permit number AT 25-B-0068).
Natural Light Images for Logged-in Users Only
You can find images of this item taken under natural daylight below. Click on an image to zoom in or save.
If there are no natural light images for this item, please email us at office@zacke.at or use the request form below.
Log in or sign up to view the natural light images.
Click here to request more information on this lot.
How to Buy Online
You must log in or create an online account in order to buy items from the shop.
Click the red 'Buy it Now' button to buy this item. You will then be able to download your invoice and receive instructions about how to pay. Prices include Buyer's Premium.
If you would like to buy multiple items at the same time, add the items you want to your cart. You will then be able to check out with multiple items simultaneously.
Items in your cart are not reserved. Please complete the purchase process promptly to secure the items.
How to Buy Offline
If you would like to buy one of these items outside of the online shop, please contact us at office@zacke.at or +43 (1) 532 04 52.
Our Terms and Conditions
As part of our ongoing efforts to keep our auctions fair and transparent, we encourage you to read our terms and conditions thoroughly. We urge you to read through §34-50) to ensure you understand them. These terms are specifically designed to protect all serious and committed buyers from bidding against non-payers who attempt to inflate prices without the intent of paying their auction bills.
For further reading about non-payers at auction, go here: https://www.zacke.at/aboutnonpayers/.
The main points include the following:
- Bidders must complete their due diligence and clarify all questions about the objects before the auction. After the auction, Zacke will not answer questions from bidders unless the purchase price has been paid in full. Of course, this does not apply to questions concerning shipping, insurance, customs, etc.
- A sale cancellation of any kind after the fall of the hammer is not possible. The only exception to this fundamental rule is our guarantee of authenticity [the Guarantee].
- A Guarantee Claim, however, can only be raised after the purchase price has been paid in full by the buyer and within 45 days after the auction day.
If you have any questions about our policies, please get in touch with us at office@zacke.at.
By placing a bid, you agree to our Terms of Auction and Terms and Conditions.
