A FINE LACQUER FIVE-CASE INRO AND NETSUKE

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A PRIVATE SWISS COLLECTION This collector holds a passion for the natural world, combined with a deep appreciation of the extraordinary craftsmanship inherent in Japanese art. Every piece in this collection is a celebration of nature, often through its less universally-appreciated inhabitants – including snakes, toads, ants and snails – subjects frequently depicted by Japanese artists with an astonishing level of realism throughout the Edo and Meiji periods. Inspiration surely came from a large live toad he kept for many years as a pet in his garden, which he nursed into its old age. He and his wife began collecting in the 1980s and focussed on netsuke, inro, okimono and sword fittings, purchasing from London auctions and dealers such as Eskenazi Ltd., amassing an extraordinary collection which is very much cherished to this day.

A FINE LACQUER FIVE-CASE INRO AND NETSUKE

EDO-MEIJI PERIOD (19TH CENTURY)

Details

A FINE LACQUER FIVE-CASE INRO AND NETSUKE
EDO-MEIJI PERIOD (19TH CENTURY)
The inro decorated in gold, silver, black and brown high-relief lacquer (takamaki-e), gold and red low-relief lacquer (hiramaki-e), against an okibirame ground with gold foil, eyes inlaid in mother-of-pearl and glass with a small snake entwined with a large snake, their bodies continuing around the reverse and ends of the inro, nashiji interiors and risers, fundame rims; attached wood netsuke of a snake coiled around a gourd, eyes inlaid in pale cowhorn; copper ojime of a coiled snake, engraved details
9.4 cm. high (inro)
9.5 cm. high (netsuke)

Provenance

Inro: The Dawson Collection
Netsuke: George Lazarnick

Literature

The Inro:
Eskenazi, Japanese Netsuke, Ojime and Inro from the Dawson Collection, (London, 1997)
The netsuke:
INCS, (Honolulu, 1975), volume 3, no. 1, p. 21
George Lazarnick, Netsuke & Inro Artists and How to Read their Signatures (Honolulu, 1982), p. 70
Eskenazi, Japanese Netsuke from the Lazarnick Collection, (London, 1990), p. 48-9

Special notice

These lots have been imported from outside the EU for sale using a Temporary Import regime. Import VAT is payable (at 5%) on the Hammer price. VAT is also payable (at 20%) on the buyer’s Premium on a VAT inclusive basis. When a buyer of such a lot has registered an EU address but wishes to export the lot or complete the import into another EU country, he must advise Christie's immediately after the auction.

Brought to you by

Anastasia von Seibold

avonseibold@christies.com 44 (0)20 7752 3127

Lot Essay

The snake (hebi) is the sixth animal of the zodiac and was considered cunning and extremely jealous.

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