ISHIKAWA RENSAI: A SUPERB IVORY NETSUKE OF A FISHERMAN SUBDUING A FUGU (BLOWFISH)

ISHIKAWA RENSAI: A SUPERB IVORY NETSUKE OF A FISHERMAN SUBDUING A FUGU (BLOWFISH)

By Ishikawa Rensai, signed Rensai 蓮齋
Japan, Tokyo, Asakusa district, second half of 19th century

Published: Sagemonoya, Netsuke & Sagemono, p. 15, no. 61.
Sydney L. Moss Ltd. (2016) Kokusai the Genius: and Stag-antler Carving in Japan, vol. III, p. 52-53, no. 357.

Superbly polished, amusingly and finely carved as a fisherman on top of a giant fugu, his behind resting squarely on the fish's head, his hands grabbing the tail fin, his legs spread out as he uses all his strength to hold the fugu down, which has been considerably flattened by the man's effort, forming the oval base of the netsuke, the underside with two asymmetrical himotoshi and the rather unusual signature RENSAI in sosho script. Note the fine staining to the fugu's head and surrounding area.

LENGTH 3.7 cm

Condition: Excellent condition with minor wear.
Provenance: With Sydney Moss Ltd., London. Zacke, Fine Netsuke & Sagemono, 22 April 2022, Vienna, lot 271 (sold for EUR 6,890). Austrian private collection, acquired from the above.

Literature comparison:
Compare a related ivory netsuke depicting a similar subject by Rensai, with similar staining to the fugu, illustrated in Sydney L. Moss Ltd. (1996) Meetings with Remarkable Netsuke, London, no. 90, and also illustrated with a line drawing in Meinertzhagen, Frederick / Lazarnick, George (1986) MCI, Part B, p. 647.

Trade Certificate: The trade certificate for the sale of this lot within the EU has been granted (permit number AT 22-B-0213 ).

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.