HAKURYU I: A SUPERB IVORY NETSUKE OF A TIGER AND CUB

HAKURYU I: A SUPERB IVORY NETSUKE OF A TIGER AND CUB

By Unsho Hakuryu I, signed Hakuryu 白龍
Japan, Kyoto, early 19th century, Edo period (1615-1868)

Finely carved, the adult resting one large paw protectively over its cub and baring its very sharp teeth with the mouth wide open. The stripes are stained black, appearing like running black paint somewhat similar to the Otoman tiger's fur coats, and the eyes are inlaid in buffalo horn, those of the adult with double inlays of pale and dark horn. The eye pupils are placed typically wide apart, resulting in the idiosyncratic 'crazed' expression. Natural himotoshi and the underside with the signature HAKURYU within an oval reserve. The ivory bearing a stunning color with a fine orange-yellow patina.

LENGTH 3.7 cm, HEIGHT 3 cm

Condition: Good condition with minor surface wear, some loss to staining, attractively worn with a fine honey-gold patina. Old repair to the smaller tiger's paws.
Provenance: Elly Nordskog Collection, sold by Sydney Moss Ltd. Zacke, Fine Netsuke & Sagemono, 16 April 2021, Vienna, lot 55 (sold for EUR 14,640). A private collection, acquired from the above.

Literature comparison:
A closely related ivory netsuke by the same carver is illustrated with a line drawing in Meinertzhagen / Lazarnick (1986) MCI, Part A, p. 120.

Auction comparison:
Compare a closely related ivory netsuke by the same artist at Sotheby's, Japanese and Korean Works of Art, 14 July 2005, London, lot 1090 (sold for 11,040 GBP). Also compare to a similar netsuke recently sold at Zacke, Fine Netsuke & Sagemono, 27 March 2020, Vienna, lot 47 (sold for 15,990 EUR).

Trade Certificate: The trade certificate for the sale of this lot within the EU has been granted (permit number AT 24-B-0079).

This item contains ivory, rhinoceros horn, tortoise shell, and/or some types of tropical wood and is subject to CITES when exporting outside the EU. It is typically not possible to export such items outside of the EU, including to the UK. Therefore, after this item has the necessary trade certificate, it can only be shipped within the EU or picked up in our gallery in person.