A Tonkotsu, Four-case Roironuri Inro and a Netsuke

Details

A Tonkotsu, Four-case Roironuri Inro and a Netsuke
The first decorated in wood, mother-of-pearl and various inlays with a sparrow flying beside bamboo trees, the reverse with ginko leaves, signed Shibayama, with red lacquered ojime and a wood netsuke of a rat, 19th century; a roironuri inro decorated in gold and iroe hiramakie and mother-of-pearl inlay with bow and arrows, nashiji interiors, (some wear), signed Gyonen hachiju yon sai, Tsuchida Soetsu (tatsu), and Kao, 17th century; and a wood and ivory netsuke of a chestnut, signed Ryokuzan, 19th century
10.3cm., 7.1cm. long and 3.1cm. wide respectively (3)

Lot Essay

Soetsu was a celebrated artist in Kyoto in the 17th century and a student of Koetsu. He was the only one to use acetate of iron for his black lacquered backgrounds which gradually turned to rich dark brown. He, also used vertical strips of mother-of-pearl carefully fitted together on curved surfaces, see Lazarnick, The Signature Book of Netsuke, Inro and Ojime Artists in Photographs (Reed Publishers, 1976), p. 362.

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