λ A GOOD JAPANESE IVORY OKIMONO OF RATS

λ A GOOD JAPANESE IVORY OKIMONO OF RATS

MEIJI PERIOD, 19TH CENTURY

three of the rodents depicted on a large ear of corn and the fourth beside it gnawing on a bean, the animals finely carved and with their eyes inlaid, signed 'Tamao' underneath and with two paper collection labels, one reading 'G1358' and the other for the Tomkinson Collection no.246

8.5cm

Provenance

Formerly the collection of Sir Sydney Richard Wells, 1st Baronet, D.L., M.P. for Bedford (1879-1957) of Felmersham Grange, Bedfordshire, and thence by descent.