28th Apr, 2023 13:00
Fine Netsuke & Sagemono
301
A HIRADO GLAZED PORCELAIN NETSUKE OF A BOY WITH SHISHIMAI MASK
Sold for €1,690
including Buyer's Premium
Unsigned
Japan, 19th century
Well potted as a boy holding a shishimai mask in front of him, the mask with a loose ball inside, the boy with one foot placed over the other in a dancing pose, the netsuke covered with deep blue and amber glazes for the boy’s robes and the lion mask. The back with large asymmetrical himotoshi.
HEIGHT 5 cm
Condition: Excellent condition with minor wear and firing irregularities.
The shishi masked dance (shishimai) is performed to ward off disease and calamity. It is thought to have been imported from China during the Tang dynasty, and became associated with the celebration of Buddha's Birthday, originating as a religious ceremony, but the excitement of the dance, the music, and the rhythms increased over the centuries, so that over time it was performed for entertainment rather than ritualistic purposes.
This netsuke was fired in the Mikawachi kilns of Hizen province (current Nagasaki and Saga Prefectures) in Kyushu, the southernmost island of Japan. The official kiln of the Hirado clan was located there, and the area's kilns generally produced fine white porcelain, for both the domestic and European markets, from the later part of the seventeenth century to the present day.
Museum comparison:
Compare a closely related Hirado porcelain netsuke of a karako with a shishimai mask in the British Museum, registration number Franks.1462.+, illustrated in Tsuchiya (2014) Netsuke: 100 miniature masterpieces from Japan, p. 21, no. 1.
Auction comparison:
Compare a related Hirado porcelain netsuke of a karako with a Daikoku mask, 6.3 cm high, dated 19th century, Edo period, at Galerie Zacke, Fine Japanese Art, 3 December 2021, Vienna, lot 290 (sold for 2,402 EUR).
Unsigned
Japan, 19th century
Well potted as a boy holding a shishimai mask in front of him, the mask with a loose ball inside, the boy with one foot placed over the other in a dancing pose, the netsuke covered with deep blue and amber glazes for the boy’s robes and the lion mask. The back with large asymmetrical himotoshi.
HEIGHT 5 cm
Condition: Excellent condition with minor wear and firing irregularities.
The shishi masked dance (shishimai) is performed to ward off disease and calamity. It is thought to have been imported from China during the Tang dynasty, and became associated with the celebration of Buddha's Birthday, originating as a religious ceremony, but the excitement of the dance, the music, and the rhythms increased over the centuries, so that over time it was performed for entertainment rather than ritualistic purposes.
This netsuke was fired in the Mikawachi kilns of Hizen province (current Nagasaki and Saga Prefectures) in Kyushu, the southernmost island of Japan. The official kiln of the Hirado clan was located there, and the area's kilns generally produced fine white porcelain, for both the domestic and European markets, from the later part of the seventeenth century to the present day.
Museum comparison:
Compare a closely related Hirado porcelain netsuke of a karako with a shishimai mask in the British Museum, registration number Franks.1462.+, illustrated in Tsuchiya (2014) Netsuke: 100 miniature masterpieces from Japan, p. 21, no. 1.
Auction comparison:
Compare a related Hirado porcelain netsuke of a karako with a Daikoku mask, 6.3 cm high, dated 19th century, Edo period, at Galerie Zacke, Fine Japanese Art, 3 December 2021, Vienna, lot 290 (sold for 2,402 EUR).
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.
