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Lot Essay
For a discussion of the subject of this netsuke, see Joe Earle, Netsuke: Fantasy and Reality in Japanese Miniature Sculpture, (Boston, 2001), pl.158, p.196 where he states:
"For about a century, this well-known subject has been described within the non-Japanese collecting tradition as an 'egg tester' or even a 'professional egg tester', but no evidence ever has been produced for the existence of such an occupation in Japan during the Edo period. It may be that a documentary explanation will come to light one day, but for the time being, the large number of extant examples probably are better interpreted as evidence that this is a case of a successful single image being copied repeatedly from a printed model or from a netsuke original. Contrary to widespread, traditional Western belief, the majority of netsuke, including early netsuke, are copies of other netsuke rather than scenes observed directly from everyday life.
"For about a century, this well-known subject has been described within the non-Japanese collecting tradition as an 'egg tester' or even a 'professional egg tester', but no evidence ever has been produced for the existence of such an occupation in Japan during the Edo period. It may be that a documentary explanation will come to light one day, but for the time being, the large number of extant examples probably are better interpreted as evidence that this is a case of a successful single image being copied repeatedly from a printed model or from a netsuke original. Contrary to widespread, traditional Western belief, the majority of netsuke, including early netsuke, are copies of other netsuke rather than scenes observed directly from everyday life.