A JAPANESE WOOD NETSUKE OF A MERMAID (NINGYO)

A JAPANESE WOOD NETSUKE OF A MERMAID (NINGYO)

EDO PERIOD, 19TH CENTURY

Probably Nagoya, the smiling siren finely carved in red wood, holding her tail elegantly curled under her chin, her long hair trailing down her back, inscribed Tadatoshi in ukibori in a rectangular reserve underneath, 4.4cm.

Cf. M T Coullery & M S Newstead, The Baur Collection, Netsuke, p.115, no.C224 for another example of a mermaid by Tadatoshi. The authors explain that in Japanese folklore, ningyo are lovely creatures, well-disposed towards humans and believed to share the secrets of the sea by listening to the murmurs of seashells. Eating one would also give you immortality.