THREE IVORY MANJU NETSUKE

EDO PERIOD (19TH CENTURY)

Details

THREE IVORY MANJU NETSUKE
Edo Period (19th Century)
The first decorated with a child seated and putting his hands in a basin of water beside another child holding a goldfish in shishiai bori, signed Suzuki Kosai with a kao; the second decorated with a happy child and a turtle in shishiaibori, signed Hojitsu; and another carved with a samurai playing a sho [a kind of mouth organ] sitting on a wood shield in shishiaibori, with signature Ryukei
1.7/8in.(4.8cm), 1½in.(3.8cm.) and 16in.(3.6cm) diam. respectively (3)

Lot Essay

The samurai playing the sho is Shinra Saburo Yoshimitsu, playing a tune to his son Tokiaki on Mount Ashigara in Mutsu province. He had previously taught it to Toyowara Tokimoto only, but Tokiaki, afraid that Yoshimitsu might die in battle, persuaded his father to pass the tune on to him before the chance was lost. He is shown seated on a wooden arrow-shield.

More from JAPANESE

View All