A MAGNIFICENT NETSUKE OF A MONKEY AND TORTOISE... Lot n° 110

Ivory netsuke Japan, Kyoto late 18th century, Edo period (1615-1868) A fine, compact and characteristically for the artist, small ivory netsuke of a monkey seated on top of a large tortoise, with its head and extremities entirely retracted into its shell. The monkey has a playful and curious expression while it teases the tortoise, raising its finger to prod at it. The dense fur of the monkey is minutely incised and inked and the patterns on the shell of the tortoise are naturalistically carved, as well as the underside. Beautiful finish to the ivory with large irregular himotoshi to the bottom next to the signature RANTEI in a rounded reserve. HEIGHT 3 CM, LENGTH 4 CM Condition: Very good condition, one eye has been replaced Provenance: Collection of Sam Felton, purchased at Sotheby’s London (date unknown) with CITES permit no. 18US59513C/9 Auction comparison: For an almost identical model in wood by Tomokazu see Bonhams, The James A. Rose collection of Netsuke and Sagemono, 17 September 2013, New York, lot 2021. A similar model of a monkey and mushroom by Rantei sold at Bonhams, Fine Japanese Works of Art, 13 September 2011, lot 2043. Literature: ‘Netsuke & Inro Artists and how to read their signatures’ by George Lazarnick, 1981, page 864. Lazarnick writes “he (Rantei) made chiefly animals, which he carved realistically with hairwork of a quality matching that of Kaigyokusai Masatsugu”.