Lot 21
21
A Fine Carved Wood Okimono in the Form of a Snake Entwined around a Skull
These lots have been imported from outside the EU … Read more The Property of a Private Swiss Collector
A Fine Wood Netsuke of a Snake Coiled around a Skull

Signed Masakatsu, Yamada School, Edo period (early 19th century)

Details
A Fine Wood Netsuke of a Snake Coiled around a Skull
Signed Masakatsu, Yamada School, Edo period (early 19th century)
Carved as a snake coiled around and through a skull, eyes inlaid in pale and dark cow horn
3.9 cm. high
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.

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Lot Essay

The netsuke carver Masakatsu was the son of Masanao I and examples of his work are rare due to a small output because of ill health. His work is considered to be very fine, working almost entirely in boxwood and is particularly recognised for his rendering of reptiles. For a very similar model in ivory by Masakatsu see Eskenazi, Japanese Netsuke from the Carré Collection, (London, 1993), no. 169, p. 139

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