λ THREE JAPANESE NETSUKE AND AN OJIME

EDO AND MEIJI PERIOD, 18TH AND 19TH CENTURY

Two netsuke in ivory, one carved as a large wolf devouring the leg of a spotted deer, the fur realistically carved and with the eyes inlaid in horn, signed Okatomo in a rectangular reserve underneath; the other of a tiger, one paw holding a crab before it; the third in wood and depicting another emaciated wolf holding a skull between its front paws; together with a small ivory ojime in the shape of another wolf and skull, 5.2cm max. (4)

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

Cf. F Meinertzhagen, The Meinertzhagen Card Index on Netsuke in the Archives of the British Museum, Part B, p.620, where other netsuke of wolves signed Okatomo are illustrated.