Ɏ TOMOTADA: AN IVORY NETSUKE OF THE CLAM’S DREAM

拍品描述

Ɏ TOMOTADA: AN IVORY NETSUKE OF THE CLAM’S DREAM Signed Tomotada 友忠 Japan, Kyoto, late 18th century, Edo period (1615-1868) Finely carved as a large clam shell, slightly opened to reveal a miniature dreamscape with figures inside a building, the interior worked in minute detail. The exterior is smoothly polished and subtly engraved to the sides with scrolling motifs. The ivory has developed an attractive warm yellow patina. Himotoshi through the underside, signed within a rectangular reserve TOMOTADA. Fitted with a metal ojime. LENGTH 4.7 cm According to popular belief, the clam exhaled a purple, pearly mist forming a vision of the island of Horai and the palace of Ryujin. This mirage, known as “the clam’s dream,” became a popular netsuke subject, allowing carvers to reveal an entire imaginary world within the slightly opened shell. Literature comparison: Compare a closely related ivory netsuke of the clam’s dream, signed Tomotada and described as after Tomotada, dated late 18th century, 5.4 cm long, illustrated in Sotheby’s, Fine Japanese Works of Art, 12 November 1985, London, lot 513. Trade Certificate: The trade certificate for the sale of this lot within the EU has been granted (permit number AT 26-B-0173). 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.

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