By Ichimin, signed Ichimin 一岷 to 刀
Japan, Nagoya, 19^th century, Edo period (1615-1868)

Published:
Lazarnick, George (1981) Netsuke & Inro Artists, and How to Read Their Signatures (LNIA), Vol. 1, p. 500.
Ducros, Alain (1987) Netsuke & Sagemono 2, p. 83, no. 116.

Very finely carved as a plump tiger, its mouth opened in a yawning roar, revealing minutely carved teeth and tongue, as it lazily lifts itself up from a deep slumber. The carving is worked meticulously, every detail accounted for and finished with perfection, such as the tiger’s fur coat which is rendered with carefully incised lines alternating with polished areas. The form of the netsuke is remarkably compact, the docile beast’s ears laid back, paws held close to the body, and tail winding around and resting against the tiger’s haunches. Natural himotoshi and signed underneath within a polished reserve ICHIMIN to [carved by Ichimin].

LENGTH 3.5 cm

Condition: Excellent condition.
Provenance: From the private collection of Alan and Simone Hartman, New York. Alan Hartman (1930-2023) was an influential American art dealer, who took over his parents’ antique business in Manhattan and established the legendary Rare Art Gallery on Madison Avenue, with further locations in Dallas and Palm Beach. His wife Simone (née Horowitz) already served as assistant manager of the New York gallery before the couple were married in 1975, and together they built a renowned collection for over half a century and became noted art patrons, enriching the collections of important museums including the Museum of Fine Arts, Boston (which opened the Alan and Simone Hartman Galleries in 2013) as well as the Metropolitan Museum of Art and Brooklyn Museum in New York. Notably, they assembled an impressive collection of Japanese art, focusing on fine netsuke, inro, and lacquer.

The tiger (tora) is the third animal of the Asian zodiac and represents courage, resilience, and strength. It also plays an important role in Daoist philosophy providing a counterpoint to the dragon (tatsu). The tiger is not native to Japan; therefore, images of tigers were only known from Chinese paintings or on rare occasions when the tiger’s fur was imported into Japan. This brings to mind a Japanese proverb - "When the tiger dies, he leaves his skin, the man his name".

Auction comparison:
Ichimin, likely a pupil of Ittan and/or Ikkan, was a talented Nagoya carver, mostly focusing on animals of the zodiac (junishi). For a related example by Ichimin, depicting a recumbent horse carved in a similar manner, see Bonhams, Fine Japanese Art, 15 May 2014, London, lot 8 (sold for GBP 11,250).