28th Apr, 2023 13:00
Fine Netsuke & Sagemono
33
Ɏ AN IVORY NETSUKE OF A PRANCING SHISHI
Sold for €6,500
including Buyer's Premium
Unsigned
Japan, Kyoto, late 18th century, Edo period (1615-1868)
Published:
Gabor Wilhelm (Spring 2002) On the Continent, International Netsuke Society Journal, Vol. 22, No. 1, p. 48.
Sydney L. Moss Ltd. (2004) Outside the Box, p. 56, no. 25.
An exquisitely carved ivory netsuke of a shishi with its rump in the air, turning to snarl at its own tail. The eyes are inlaid in dark horn and there is a loose ball in its mouth. The low relief, well-polished lumpy excrescences to brow and haunches contrast nicely with the high relief whorls and curls of mane and tail, and with the deeply patinated smooth rounded surfaces of the body and legs. The carving is deep and bold throughout, and features some delicate textural stippling on the pads of the large feet. The himotoshi is cleverly positioned, with the larger of the two holes issuing through the rear legs. The ivory with a fine, honey-yellow patina.
LENGTH 4.2 cm
Condition: Very good condition, appealingly worn, few minor age cracks.
Provenance: Rossini, Paris, 3 December 2001, lot 2. Sydney L. Moss Ltd., London, 2004. French private collection, acquired from the above.
One curious aspect of this shishi netsuke is that it is slightly off balance when resting on all four legs, turning as if in surprise and shock at the sight of its own, admittedly rather scary tail rising up threateningly behind it. The animal appears to be in immediate danger of toppling over as it turns. This oddity is explained by a most unusual aspect: the beast is also designed to sit up on its rear legs with forepaws in the air, at which point it turns to look back on a level, horizontal plane and is a thoroughly coherent sculpture, with more movement and originality than most.
The carving shares stylistic elements with both Tomotada and Mitsuharu of Kyoto, while the inherent wit of the carving is reminiscent of the Osaka school.
Auction comparison:
Compare to a related ivory netsuke of a shishi, by Tomoharu, at Bonhams, Netsuke from a European Private Collection, 8 May 2016, London, lot 79 (sold for 6,250 GBP).
Trade Certificate: The trade certificate for the sale of this lot within the EU has been granted (permit number FR2201700452-K).
Unsigned
Japan, Kyoto, late 18th century, Edo period (1615-1868)
Published:
Gabor Wilhelm (Spring 2002) On the Continent, International Netsuke Society Journal, Vol. 22, No. 1, p. 48.
Sydney L. Moss Ltd. (2004) Outside the Box, p. 56, no. 25.
An exquisitely carved ivory netsuke of a shishi with its rump in the air, turning to snarl at its own tail. The eyes are inlaid in dark horn and there is a loose ball in its mouth. The low relief, well-polished lumpy excrescences to brow and haunches contrast nicely with the high relief whorls and curls of mane and tail, and with the deeply patinated smooth rounded surfaces of the body and legs. The carving is deep and bold throughout, and features some delicate textural stippling on the pads of the large feet. The himotoshi is cleverly positioned, with the larger of the two holes issuing through the rear legs. The ivory with a fine, honey-yellow patina.
LENGTH 4.2 cm
Condition: Very good condition, appealingly worn, few minor age cracks.
Provenance: Rossini, Paris, 3 December 2001, lot 2. Sydney L. Moss Ltd., London, 2004. French private collection, acquired from the above.
One curious aspect of this shishi netsuke is that it is slightly off balance when resting on all four legs, turning as if in surprise and shock at the sight of its own, admittedly rather scary tail rising up threateningly behind it. The animal appears to be in immediate danger of toppling over as it turns. This oddity is explained by a most unusual aspect: the beast is also designed to sit up on its rear legs with forepaws in the air, at which point it turns to look back on a level, horizontal plane and is a thoroughly coherent sculpture, with more movement and originality than most.
The carving shares stylistic elements with both Tomotada and Mitsuharu of Kyoto, while the inherent wit of the carving is reminiscent of the Osaka school.
Auction comparison:
Compare to a related ivory netsuke of a shishi, by Tomoharu, at Bonhams, Netsuke from a European Private Collection, 8 May 2016, London, lot 79 (sold for 6,250 GBP).
Trade Certificate: The trade certificate for the sale of this lot within the EU has been granted (permit number FR2201700452-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.
