A FINE UMIMATSU NETSUKE OF A CICADA ON AN OAK BRANCH

拍品描述

A FINE UMIMATSU NETSUKE OF A CICADA ON AN OAK BRANCH Unsigned Japan, Iwami province, late 18th to early 19th century, Edo period (1615-1868) Earle Huthart, Iwami Netsuke: The Robert S. Huthart Collection, vol. 2, p. 339, no. 312. Finely and naturalistically carved as a large cicada with folded, finely marbled wings perched on a section of a branch issuing two acorns below. Two generously excavated himotoshi through the underside of the branch. LENGTH 4.6 cm Umimatsu (lit. ‘sea pine’), commonly known as black coral, is a soft deep-water coral. Many patterns of growth are unique to black coral, growing in whips, trees, fans, or coils, and their size ranges from 10 to 300 cm. While it is commonly used in various forms of jewelry in Japanese art, it is also believed to have apotropaic powers and is for this reason used in various medical treatments as well. Auction comparison: Compare a closely related umimatsu netsuke of a cicada, dated to the early 19th century, 6.7 cm long, at Bonhams, The Harriet Szechenyi Sale of Japanese Art, 8 November 2011, London, lot 199 (sold for GBP 3,500).

图片