3rd May, 2024 13:00
Fine Netsuke & Sagemono
22
Ɏ A VERY RARE AND LARGE IVORY NETSUKE OF BAIFUKU WITH HO-O BIRD
Sold for €7,800
including Buyer's Premium
Unsigned
Japan, 18th century, Edo period (1615-1868)
Published:
Joly, Henri (1908) Legend in Japanese Art, p. 81.
Joly, Henri L. (1912) The W. L. Behrens Collection, Part 1, Netsuke, no. 4558, illustrated on pl. LIX.
Eskenazi (1984) Japanese Netsuke, Ojime, Inro, Lacquer-Ware, no. 38.
Standing, his body twisted ever so gently as he holds a ho-o bird or peacock to his chest, one hand supporting the majestic bird’s breast and the other placed gently on its tail feathers. He is dressed in a long voluminous robe with billowing sleeves which drape and fall elegantly over his frame. The mythical bird’s feathers are carefully incised and stained to show the variation in its plumage. Good himotoshi to the back, generously excavated and placed at angle.
HEIGHT 10.6 cm
Condition: Very good condition with minor surface wear and age cracks. Minuscule nibbling to edges and possibly a tiny chip to the edge of the bird’s wing.
Provenance: Ex-collection W. L. Behrens (1861-1913). Ex-collection W. Lewis. Eskenazi, April 1986. Ex-collection Guy de Lasteyrie, acquired from the above. De Lasteyrie is a member of the Lasteyrie du Saillant family and is considered among the leading French collectors of netsuke.
Baifuku (in Chinese Mei Fuh) was a Chinese governor of Nan Ch’ang (Nansho-no-Jo), who, disgusted with the corruption then prevailing, resigned his post in 14 B.C. and retired to mount Hiko, in Yunnan, where he penetrated the secrets of the genii, and having drunk of the elixir of everlasting life, returned to his native Show Ch’un. After a short while, some genii and a Lwan bird (peacock or phoenix) swooped down from the skies and carried him away to the Taoists paradise (H. L Joly, Legend in Japanese Art, p. 80).
Literature comparison:
Compare a closely related ivory netsuke of a foreigner with Chinese hat, with similar expression and headgear, in Joly, Henri L. (1912) The W. L. Behrens Collection, Part 1, Netsuke, no. 3301, illustrated on pl. XL.
Auction comparison:
This type of Lwan bird is rarely depicted in netsuke art and appears usually in combination with Dutchmen. Compare a related ivory netsuke of a Dutchman at Sotheby’s, Japanese Works of Art, 10 April 1997, London, lot 404.
Trade Certificate: The trade certificate for the sale of this lot within the EU has been granted (permit number FR2207508116-K).
Unsigned
Japan, 18th century, Edo period (1615-1868)
Published:
Joly, Henri (1908) Legend in Japanese Art, p. 81.
Joly, Henri L. (1912) The W. L. Behrens Collection, Part 1, Netsuke, no. 4558, illustrated on pl. LIX.
Eskenazi (1984) Japanese Netsuke, Ojime, Inro, Lacquer-Ware, no. 38.
Standing, his body twisted ever so gently as he holds a ho-o bird or peacock to his chest, one hand supporting the majestic bird’s breast and the other placed gently on its tail feathers. He is dressed in a long voluminous robe with billowing sleeves which drape and fall elegantly over his frame. The mythical bird’s feathers are carefully incised and stained to show the variation in its plumage. Good himotoshi to the back, generously excavated and placed at angle.
HEIGHT 10.6 cm
Condition: Very good condition with minor surface wear and age cracks. Minuscule nibbling to edges and possibly a tiny chip to the edge of the bird’s wing.
Provenance: Ex-collection W. L. Behrens (1861-1913). Ex-collection W. Lewis. Eskenazi, April 1986. Ex-collection Guy de Lasteyrie, acquired from the above. De Lasteyrie is a member of the Lasteyrie du Saillant family and is considered among the leading French collectors of netsuke.
Baifuku (in Chinese Mei Fuh) was a Chinese governor of Nan Ch’ang (Nansho-no-Jo), who, disgusted with the corruption then prevailing, resigned his post in 14 B.C. and retired to mount Hiko, in Yunnan, where he penetrated the secrets of the genii, and having drunk of the elixir of everlasting life, returned to his native Show Ch’un. After a short while, some genii and a Lwan bird (peacock or phoenix) swooped down from the skies and carried him away to the Taoists paradise (H. L Joly, Legend in Japanese Art, p. 80).
Literature comparison:
Compare a closely related ivory netsuke of a foreigner with Chinese hat, with similar expression and headgear, in Joly, Henri L. (1912) The W. L. Behrens Collection, Part 1, Netsuke, no. 3301, illustrated on pl. XL.
Auction comparison:
This type of Lwan bird is rarely depicted in netsuke art and appears usually in combination with Dutchmen. Compare a related ivory netsuke of a Dutchman at Sotheby’s, Japanese Works of Art, 10 April 1997, London, lot 404.
Trade Certificate: The trade certificate for the sale of this lot within the EU has been granted (permit number FR2207508116-K).
Zacke Live Online Bidding
Our online bidding platform makes it easier than ever to bid in our auctions! When you bid through our website, you can take advantage of our premium buyer's terms without incurring any additional online bidding surcharges.
To bid live online, you'll need to create an online account. Once your account is created and your identity is verified, you can register to bid in an auction up to 12 hours before the auction begins.
Intended Spend and Bid Limits
When you register to bid in an online auction, you will need to share your intended maximum spending budget for the auction. We will then review your intended spend and set a bid limit for you. Once you have pre-registered for a live online auction, you can see your intended spend and bid limit by going to 'Account Settings' and clicking on 'Live Bidding Registrations'.
Your bid limit will be the maximum amount you can bid during the auction. Your bid limit is for the hammer price and is not affected by the buyer’s premium and VAT. For example, if you have a bid limit of €1,000 and place two winning bids for €300 and €200, then you will only be able to bid €500 for the rest of the auction. If you try to place a bid that is higher than €500, you will not be able to do so.
Online Absentee and Telephone Bids
You can now leave absentee and telephone bids on our website!
Absentee Bidding
Once you've created an account and your identity is verified, you can leave your absentee bid directly on the lot page. We will contact you when your bids have been confirmed.
Telephone Bidding
Once you've created an account and your identity is verified, you can leave telephone bids online. We will contact you when your bids have been confirmed.
Classic Absentee and Telephone Bidding Form
You can still submit absentee and telephone bids by email or fax if you prefer. Simply fill out the Absentee Bidding/Telephone bidding form and return it to us by email at office@zacke.at or by fax at +43 (1) 532 04 52 20. You can download the PDF from our Upcoming Auctions page.
How-To Guides
How to Create Your Personal Zacke Account
How to Register to Bid on Zacke Live
How to Leave Absentee Bids Online
How to Leave Telephone Bids Online
中文版本的操作指南
创建新账号
注册Zacke Live在线直播竞拍（免平台费）
缺席投标和电话投标
Third-Party Bidding
We partner with best-in-class third-party partners to make it easy for you to bid online in the channel of your choice. Please note that if you bid with one of our third-party online partners, then there will be a live bidding surcharge on top of your final purchase price. You can find all of our fees here. Here's a full list of our third-party partners:
- 51 Bid Live
- EpaiLive
- ArtFoxLive
- Invaluable
- LiveAuctioneers
- the-saleroom
- lot-tissimo
- Drouot
Please note that we place different auctions on different platforms. For example, in general, we only place Chinese art auctions on 51 Bid Live.
Bidding in Person
You must register to bid in person and will be assigned a paddle at the auction. Please contact us at office@zacke.at or +43 (1) 532 04 52 for the latest local health and safety guidelines.
