16th Apr, 2021 13:00

Fine Netsuke & Sagemono

 
  Lot 224
 

224

Ɏ KOICHI: AN IVORY RYUSA MANJU NETSUKE OF HANASAKA JIJI

Sold for €1,464

including Buyer's Premium


Lot details

By Koichi, signed Koichi 光一
Japan, Edo/Tokyo, second half of 19th century

An amusing variation of the famous tale of Hanasaka Jiji. Depicted is the old couple amongst a multitude of treasures, known as takaramono, carved all around the netsuke. Hanasaka Jiji carries a hoe, which he famously uses to dig up coins, while his wife puts the coins into a large bag, the treasure-granting dog Shiro is seen on the side. The reverse with a scroll bearing an inscription and the signature KOICHI, as well as the central himotoshi.

DIAMETER 3.9 cm

Condition: Excellent condition.
Provenance: Ex-collection Jury Kolodotschko, purchased at Lempertz, 10 June 2003, Cologne, lot 1063.

The popular folktale goes as follows: There was once an old couple, Hanasaka Jiji and his wife, who had a dog named Shiro and particularly nasty neighbors. One day Shiro began sniffing and barking at a certain spot and when Hanasaka dug up the spot a large number of coins came up. The greedy neighbors watched and took the dog by force to their own garden. However, the spot at which the dog sniffed was filled with only filth and the neighbors killed the poor dog and buried it under a pine tree. The old man Hanasaka Jiji, much grieved, offered sacrifice upon the spot and the dog’s ghost appeared and commanded him to cut down the tree to make a rice mortar out of its trunk, which changed the rice into gold. The neighbors managed to borrow the mortar, however for them the rice turned only into filth and they burned the mortar. The dog appeared to Hanasaka once more and told him to retrieve the ashes from his neighbors and scatter them over dead trees, which miraculously began sprouting. Hanasaka became famous across the country, his fame even reaching the Daimyo of a neighboring province, who tested his powers and loaded him with treasures (the takaramono seen in this netsuke). The neighbor tried to do the same, but the ashes blew into the Daimyo's eyes, so he threw him into prison.

 

By Koichi, signed Koichi 光一
Japan, Edo/Tokyo, second half of 19th century

An amusing variation of the famous tale of Hanasaka Jiji. Depicted is the old couple amongst a multitude of treasures, known as takaramono, carved all around the netsuke. Hanasaka Jiji carries a hoe, which he famously uses to dig up coins, while his wife puts the coins into a large bag, the treasure-granting dog Shiro is seen on the side. The reverse with a scroll bearing an inscription and the signature KOICHI, as well as the central himotoshi.

DIAMETER 3.9 cm

Condition: Excellent condition.
Provenance: Ex-collection Jury Kolodotschko, purchased at Lempertz, 10 June 2003, Cologne, lot 1063.

The popular folktale goes as follows: There was once an old couple, Hanasaka Jiji and his wife, who had a dog named Shiro and particularly nasty neighbors. One day Shiro began sniffing and barking at a certain spot and when Hanasaka dug up the spot a large number of coins came up. The greedy neighbors watched and took the dog by force to their own garden. However, the spot at which the dog sniffed was filled with only filth and the neighbors killed the poor dog and buried it under a pine tree. The old man Hanasaka Jiji, much grieved, offered sacrifice upon the spot and the dog’s ghost appeared and commanded him to cut down the tree to make a rice mortar out of its trunk, which changed the rice into gold. The neighbors managed to borrow the mortar, however for them the rice turned only into filth and they burned the mortar. The dog appeared to Hanasaka once more and told him to retrieve the ashes from his neighbors and scatter them over dead trees, which miraculously began sprouting. Hanasaka became famous across the country, his fame even reaching the Daimyo of a neighboring province, who tested his powers and loaded him with treasures (the takaramono seen in this netsuke). The neighbor tried to do the same, but the ashes blew into the Daimyo's eyes, so he threw him into prison.

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