netsuke

Ikkosai ivory netsuke

Osaka, 19th century

manju with rain dragon

length 1 5/8 in., 4.1 cm

the pierced ryusa manju with the long-snouted creature curling beside a spray of lotus blossoms and a zeni coin found on the underside, the underside bearing a darker honey patina and with well-worn signature, Ikkosai within an oval-shaped cartouche

There are a few artists that used the chomei Ikkosai (and even more that used just Ikko), but this work, with it's very fine details and elegant signature appears to be hand of the Ikkosai Saito (1804-1876) of Osaka. See Lazarnick, Netsuke and Inro Artists and How to Read Their Signatures, Vol. I, p. 512.

Published:
Scholten Japanese Art Exhibition Catalogue 2000, New York, September 2000, no. 7

kikumon

Scholten Japanese Art is open Monday - Friday, and some Saturdays by appointment only

Contact Katherine Martin at
(212) 585-0474 or email
[email protected]
to schedule a visit between 11am and 4pm preferably for no more than two individuals at a time.

site last updated
March 28, 2024

Scholten Japanese Art
145 West 58th Street, suite 6D
New York, New York 10019
ph: (212) 585-0474
fx: (212) 585-0475