Asian Art II - 18th November 2015
Lot 303
λ A JAPANESE IVORY NETSUKE MEIJI 1868-1912 Carved as a monkey examining a flea between his fingers
Estimate £500 - £800 | Hammer £12000
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Description
λ A JAPANESE IVORY NETSUKE
MEIJI 1868-1912
Carved as a monkey examining a flea between his fingers, his other hand scratching his leg where the insect has bitten him, the hair finely depicted, the eyes inlaid in dark and yellow horn, signed Masatsugu in an oblong reserve, 4.8cm.
Provenance: formerly in an English private collection.
Cf. Bonhams, 13th September 2011, for a comparable monkey holding a flea signed Masamitsu originally in the Alan Liss Collection.