Beschreibung:

By Gyokuzan, signed Gyokuzan 玉山 Japan, Edo (Tokyo), mid-19th century, Edo period (1615-1868) The ivory netsuke showing the two very different outcomes of the story. On the left is Nasakeji tipping over his box, gifted to him by the sparrow people. A multitude of treasures and coins are falling out as he laughs and points downwards. To the right is his wife Arababa, who cut the sparrow’s tongue. Her box reveals three bakemono who are torturing her, amongst them Rokurokubi who is licking the side of her face. The ivory finely stained and the details well-carved. The underside with signature GYOKUZAN and a centrally drilled himotoshi. LENGTH 4.4 cm Condition: Good condition with some wear to staining. Provenance: Ex-collection Jury Kolodotschko, purchased from Kunsthandel Klefisch, Auction 98, 13 October 2012, Cologne, lot 248. Literature comparison: A similar netsuke by Tomochika is illustrated in Marie-Therese Coullery and Martin S. Newstead (1977) The Baur Collection, pp. 180-181, C 439.