22nd Apr, 2022 13:00

Fine Netsuke & Sagemono

 
  Lot 216
 

216

Ɏ TOMOCHIKA: A RARE IVORY NETSUKE OF KINTOKI SUBDUING A BAKEMONO DISGUISED AS A KARAKO

Sold for €1,896

including Buyer's Premium


Lot details

By Tomochika, signed Tomochika 友親
Japan, Edo (Tokyo), mid-19th century, Edo period (1615-1868)

The warrior crouching over his demonic opponent and holding him down by the neck with one hand, the other hand about to draw his sheathed tanto, the bakemono in the guise of a boy wearing a patterned robe, only identifiable by the one eye on his forehead and the small detail of his hands and feet only having four appendages each. The warrior’s ornate robe is incised with the character Kin, identifying him as Sakata Kintoki. The underside well carved and with the signature TOMOCHIKA within a wavy reserve. The ivory deeply stained, some red coloring and sumi used for the highlights.

HEIGHT 4.3 cm

Condition: Very good condition with minor surface wear.
Provenance: The Gabor Wilhelm Collection, Paris.

The present netsuke dynamically depicts the legend of Sakata Kintoki, who was affectionately known as Kintaro in his youth and later was one of the four retainers of the famous warrior leader Minamoto no Yorimitsu (948-1021). One day Kintoki and his colleague Usui Sandamitsu were on night-watch at Yorimitsu's mansion. They were passing time by playing the board game Go, when various goblins appeared one after another to kill Yorimitsu. The two warriors realized that the goblins were merely conjured up by the evil Earth Spider and succeeded in dispatching them, thereby protecting their lord. The netsuke captures the moment when Kintoki subdues the single-eyed demon, disguised as a young boy, and is about to draw his sword to kill it.

Literature comparison:
Compare an ivory manju netsuke depicting the same subject by Gyokuhosai, dated c. 1880, in the British Museum, museum number F.393



Trade Certificate: The trade certificate for the sale of this lot within the EU has been granted (permit number AT 22-B-0120).

 

By Tomochika, signed Tomochika 友親
Japan, Edo (Tokyo), mid-19th century, Edo period (1615-1868)

The warrior crouching over his demonic opponent and holding him down by the neck with one hand, the other hand about to draw his sheathed tanto, the bakemono in the guise of a boy wearing a patterned robe, only identifiable by the one eye on his forehead and the small detail of his hands and feet only having four appendages each. The warrior’s ornate robe is incised with the character Kin, identifying him as Sakata Kintoki. The underside well carved and with the signature TOMOCHIKA within a wavy reserve. The ivory deeply stained, some red coloring and sumi used for the highlights.

HEIGHT 4.3 cm

Condition: Very good condition with minor surface wear.
Provenance: The Gabor Wilhelm Collection, Paris.

The present netsuke dynamically depicts the legend of Sakata Kintoki, who was affectionately known as Kintaro in his youth and later was one of the four retainers of the famous warrior leader Minamoto no Yorimitsu (948-1021). One day Kintoki and his colleague Usui Sandamitsu were on night-watch at Yorimitsu's mansion. They were passing time by playing the board game Go, when various goblins appeared one after another to kill Yorimitsu. The two warriors realized that the goblins were merely conjured up by the evil Earth Spider and succeeded in dispatching them, thereby protecting their lord. The netsuke captures the moment when Kintoki subdues the single-eyed demon, disguised as a young boy, and is about to draw his sword to kill it.

Literature comparison:
Compare an ivory manju netsuke depicting the same subject by Gyokuhosai, dated c. 1880, in the British Museum, museum number F.393



Trade Certificate: The trade certificate for the sale of this lot within the EU has been granted (permit number AT 22-B-0120).

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