Sold for €2,600
including Buyer's Premium
Unsigned
Japan, 19th century
Published: Rutherston, Max (2017) Japanese Masks, Peter E. Müller, no. 203.
Finely cast and assembled in sections with embossed eyebrows, wrinkles, prominent cheeks and chin, and an extended beak-like nose plate, the chin with two pegs, the exterior and interior lacquered black and reddish-brown to simulate rust. Natural himotoshi. The underside of the chin with a pierced inome (boar’s eye).
HEIGHT 5.1 cm
WEIGHT 18.5 g
Condition: Very good condition with minor and simulated wear. One rivet lost to the side.
Provenance: Ex-collection Peter E. Müller, no. 203. Matthew Barton Ltd., 6 June 2018, lot 217. European private collection P. Jacquesson, acquired from the above.
The existence of somen (full masks) goes back to the Muromachi Period but quickly declined in popularity as the full-coverage of the face was found to be uncomfortable and impractical since it did not provide any functional advantage. They continued to be made as showpieces for high-ranking lords as opposed to practical armor accoutrements. Mask netsuke of this type are very rare, the present example being possibly unique.
Literature comparison:
Compare a wood netsuke depicting a menpo signed Sankyu, illustrated in Joly, Henri L. (1966) The W. L. Behrens Collection, Part 1, Netsuke, pl. III, no. 139, and in Meinertzhagen, Frederick / Lazarnick, George (1986) MCI, Part B, p. 694, where Meinertzhagen mentions a similar netsuke by Hoichi in ebony in the T. Seligman and subsequently W.W. Winkworth collection. This netsuke is also mentioned in the MCI, Part A, p. 584, where it is described as a “Mask (minus the forehead) of a Man with large nose”, indicating it is a tengu menpo. The Sankyu netsuke was also sold at Kunsthandel Klefisch, 23 May 1981, lot 189.
Museum comparison:
Compare a lacquered iron mask inscribed by Myochin Muneakira, dated 1713, 21.7 cm high, in the Metropolitan Museum of Art, accession number 14.100.45.
Unsigned
Japan, 19th century
Published: Rutherston, Max (2017) Japanese Masks, Peter E. Müller, no. 203.
Finely cast and assembled in sections with embossed eyebrows, wrinkles, prominent cheeks and chin, and an extended beak-like nose plate, the chin with two pegs, the exterior and interior lacquered black and reddish-brown to simulate rust. Natural himotoshi. The underside of the chin with a pierced inome (boar’s eye).
HEIGHT 5.1 cm
WEIGHT 18.5 g
Condition: Very good condition with minor and simulated wear. One rivet lost to the side.
Provenance: Ex-collection Peter E. Müller, no. 203. Matthew Barton Ltd., 6 June 2018, lot 217. European private collection P. Jacquesson, acquired from the above.
The existence of somen (full masks) goes back to the Muromachi Period but quickly declined in popularity as the full-coverage of the face was found to be uncomfortable and impractical since it did not provide any functional advantage. They continued to be made as showpieces for high-ranking lords as opposed to practical armor accoutrements. Mask netsuke of this type are very rare, the present example being possibly unique.
Literature comparison:
Compare a wood netsuke depicting a menpo signed Sankyu, illustrated in Joly, Henri L. (1966) The W. L. Behrens Collection, Part 1, Netsuke, pl. III, no. 139, and in Meinertzhagen, Frederick / Lazarnick, George (1986) MCI, Part B, p. 694, where Meinertzhagen mentions a similar netsuke by Hoichi in ebony in the T. Seligman and subsequently W.W. Winkworth collection. This netsuke is also mentioned in the MCI, Part A, p. 584, where it is described as a “Mask (minus the forehead) of a Man with large nose”, indicating it is a tengu menpo. The Sankyu netsuke was also sold at Kunsthandel Klefisch, 23 May 1981, lot 189.
Museum comparison:
Compare a lacquered iron mask inscribed by Myochin Muneakira, dated 1713, 21.7 cm high, in the Metropolitan Museum of Art, accession number 14.100.45.
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.
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.
You can now leave absentee and telephone bids on our website!
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.
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.
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 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
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
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:
Please note that we place different auctions on different platforms. For example, in general, we only place Chinese art auctions on 51 Bid Live.
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.