28th Apr, 2023 13:00

Fine Netsuke & Sagemono

 
  Lot 219
 


Lot 219 - MORITA SOKO: A SUPERB SMALL WOOD NETSUKE OF A RAT ON A STRAW RICE BALE
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219

MORITA SOKO: A SUPERB SMALL WOOD NETSUKE OF A RAT ON A STRAW RICE BALE

Sold for €10,400

including Buyer's Premium


Lot details

By Morita Soko (1879-1942), signed Soko 藻己 to 刀
Japan, Tokyo, early 20th century

Published:
Kobijutsu Rokusho vol. 27 (1991), 28.
Sagemonoya (1998) So School Netsuke, no. 28.

Exquisitely carved as a small rat (nezumI) sitting on a bundle of rice stalks naturalistically carved within a shallow basket, the weaving intricately emulated, its long finely carved tail extending towards the underside and gnawing at a minutely carved branch of persimmon fruit. Signed to the underside within a polished area SOKO to [carved by Soko].

LENGTH 3 cm

Condition: Tiny chip to one ear, otherwise excellent condition.
Provenance: The Bluette H. Kirchhoff Collection of Netsuke and Sagemono, sold at Bonhams, 16 September 2009, New York, lot 2067 (sold for 11,590 USD). A princely collection, acquired from the above.

The rat (nezumI) seated on rice stalks is an allusion to the lucky god of wealth Daikoku.

Literature comparison:
Fuld’s Netsuke and Ojime Index records two further netsuke of rats on a straw basket, each depicted in a different manner. One is recorded in Traditional Objects, INCS Journal, Vol. 4, no. 3, p. 16, figs. 2A & 2B. Another is recorded in Coullery, Marie-Therese and Newstead, Martin S. (1977) The Baur Collection, pp. 360-361, no. C1145.

 

By Morita Soko (1879-1942), signed Soko 藻己 to 刀
Japan, Tokyo, early 20th century

Published:
Kobijutsu Rokusho vol. 27 (1991), 28.
Sagemonoya (1998) So School Netsuke, no. 28.

Exquisitely carved as a small rat (nezumI) sitting on a bundle of rice stalks naturalistically carved within a shallow basket, the weaving intricately emulated, its long finely carved tail extending towards the underside and gnawing at a minutely carved branch of persimmon fruit. Signed to the underside within a polished area SOKO to [carved by Soko].

LENGTH 3 cm

Condition: Tiny chip to one ear, otherwise excellent condition.
Provenance: The Bluette H. Kirchhoff Collection of Netsuke and Sagemono, sold at Bonhams, 16 September 2009, New York, lot 2067 (sold for 11,590 USD). A princely collection, acquired from the above.

The rat (nezumI) seated on rice stalks is an allusion to the lucky god of wealth Daikoku.

Literature comparison:
Fuld’s Netsuke and Ojime Index records two further netsuke of rats on a straw basket, each depicted in a different manner. One is recorded in Traditional Objects, INCS Journal, Vol. 4, no. 3, p. 16, figs. 2A & 2B. Another is recorded in Coullery, Marie-Therese and Newstead, Martin S. (1977) The Baur Collection, pp. 360-361, no. C1145.

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