Masakatsu ivory netsuke
19th century
toad
length 1 1/2 in., 3.9 cm
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an ivory toad crouches with its feet tucked under its plump body, its smooth throat bulging out beneath its wide mouth, the round eyes form bulges on either side of its head and two narrow ridges sweep back over the shoulders, the bumpy skin is strongly defined with stippling and is stained black, the eyes are inlaid in black horn; signed Masakatsu
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The son of Masanao I of Yamada, Masakatsu suffered from ill health and died young. Most of his work was in wood; ivory netsuke are extremely rare, mid-19th century
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Provenance:
Ex E. H. Witte Collection
Ex Alan Liss Collection
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Published:
Sotheby's Chicago, Fine Netsuke Including the Property from the Collection of Alan R. Liss, September 2, 1993, lot no. 21
Expressions of Style: Netsuke as Art, New York, August 2001, no. 166
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$7,800
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