Until 31st Dec, 2025
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Ɏ UNSHO HAKURYU: A FINE IVORY NETSUKE OF A PERSIMMON WITH INLAID SNAIL
Lot 161 - NE0525
By Unsho Hakuryu, signed Unsho Hakuryu 雲松 白龍
Japan, c. 1860
The persimmon (kaki) of compact design and carved naturalistically, with gentle curvature and superbly carved leafage and stem underneath, the top of the fruit inlaid with a snail in dark buffalo horn, the stigma inlaid as well. Natural himotoshi through the stem, signed in neatly incised characters UNSHO HAKURYU. A simple yet perfectly executed design, the artist has cleverly utilized a natural nerve channel to simulate worm rot near the stem.
LENGTH 3.5 cm
Condition: Excellent condition with minor wear.
Provenance: European Fine Art Fair ‘TEFAF Basel’, 1998, Basel, Switzerland. St. James’ Gallery, Zurich. A noted private collection, acquired from the above. A copy of an old invoice from TEFAF Basel, dating to 1998, accompanies this lot. A copy of a folio from St. James’s Gallery, Zurich, accompanies this lot.
Unsho Hakuryu was a carpenter working for Asano Naritaka (1817-1868), a Daimyo ruler of Hiroshima. Alain Ducros supposes that Unsho Hakuryu was at first a pupil of Mitani Goho, carving predominantly in wood, and later met up with Ohara Mitsuhiro (1810-1875) around 1857, when Mitsuhiro was already famous and came back to his native Onomichi. Only then did Hakuryu start carving in ivory, some of his works very much resembling those of Mitsuhiro (see Museum comparison).
Museum comparison:
For a closely related ivory netsuke of a persimmon, by Mitsuhiro, see the Victoria and Albert Museum, London, accession number 447-1904.
Literature comparison:
Compare a closely related ivory netsuke of a Persimmon signed Unsho Hakuryu, note the similarly worked underside and the absence of the snail, illustrated by Meinertzhagen, Frederick / Lazarnick, George (1986) MCI, Part A, p. 121. Another related ivory netsuke of a persimmon, by Unsho Hakuryu, is illustrated in Barry Davies Oriental Art (1996), Netsuke Through Three Centuries, no. 132.
Trade Certificate: The trade certificate for the sale of this lot within the EU has been granted (permit number AT 25-B-0073).
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