λ A JAPANESE IVORY NETSUKE OF RATS EDO PERIOD

λ A JAPANESE IVORY NETSUKE OF RATS

EDO PERIOD, 19TH CENTURY

Carved as a large rat and its young on an open paper fan, the rodents realistically depicted with the hair finely rendered and their eyes inlaid, the small pup clambering upon its parent's long tail, the fan decorated to both sides with flowering branches of prunus, the petals delicately highlighted in pink, signed Shomin / Masatami, with a paper collection label reading 'Shyomin' to one side and 'no.3' to the other, 4.6cm.

Provenance: from the collection of a lady of title, and thence by descent.