Price on request.
A four-case inro lacquered in takamakie against a matsukawa-nuri ground. An all-over continuous design depicts two snakes stalking a pair of cicadas on the trunk of a pine tree.
The cicadas’ heads and bodies are lacquered with their wings and eyes inlaid in a translucent horn backed with gold foil, which adds a lovely depth of colour that can’t be captured properly in a photo. The larger snake is raised up ready to strike, its red tongue almost touching one of the cicadas. Both snakes’ eyes are inlaid with what appears to be a blue shell and the pupils lacquered. The second snake, to the verso, is coiled, looking away from the cicada. The bodies of the snakes, in brown and silver lacquer, work their way across both sides of the case, round the cord runners and over the top and bottom of the inro. The top and bottom of the inro are lacquered in gold to represent a cross-section of the trunk.
Signed, Ganshosai, with a kao (Ganshosai Shunsui)
Late 19th century
Height: 9.7cm Width: 4.9cm Depth: 3cm
Provenance: Ex-Shep Brozman collection
Ex-Roger L. Weston collection
Similar examples: Eskenazi London, 1997, Japanese Netsuke, Ojime and Inro from the Dawson Collection
Bonham’s London, 6 Nov 2012, Fine Japanese Art, lot 43
If you are interested in purchasing this inro you can contact me via the details below.
Phone or Whatsapp: +447534 423 803
Email: robert@willford-ja.co.uk
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