Netsuke, ivory. Japan, around 1800 until 1st half 19th cent.
The monkey saru is wearing clothes and could be the animal of a sarumawashi (monkey tamer). He sits obediently and is holding an open fan ogi. One hand on this head and his ponderous expression show that he is thinking about something complicated... Age characteristics and patina, himotoshi through back and buttocks. Very good haptic rounding. The monkey is also found in the zodiac.
HEIGHT 4 CM
From an old German collection