Soshin Posted January 22, 2023 Report Posted January 22, 2023 I picked up this new netsuke a few months ago in trade for a large framed three panel woodblock print by Utagawa Kunisada. The subject of the netsuke is a bird. It is signed on the bottom, but I can only make out one of the two characters (X yama X 山). The previous owner thought it was ivory, but I am not sure. Thanks to anyone that can provide a bit of additional help information. This is a bit out of the focus area of Japanese sword fittings, but I enjoy all types of Japanese art including netsuke. 1 Quote
PietroParis Posted January 23, 2023 Report Posted January 23, 2023 The signature is 玉山 Gyokuzan, but this definitely looks like a 20th-century non-Japanese imitation for the tourist market. Unfortunately, 99% of the items marketed as netsuke fall in this category, it's even worse than what happens for tsuba and swords. 1 Quote
PietroParis Posted January 23, 2023 Report Posted January 23, 2023 The subject is quail and millet, and this is how it is supposed to look: 2 Quote
PietroParis Posted January 23, 2023 Report Posted January 23, 2023 A different version here: googling "quail millet netsuke" will yield many more examples of varying quality. 1 Quote
Soshin Posted January 23, 2023 Author Report Posted January 23, 2023 Pietro, Thanks for the information and reading of the signature. Not to worry I don't take Netsuke collecting seriously anyway. Japanese sword fittings I do take seriously, and I have a website about it (link below). The motif of my "netsuke" is a quail and millet. 1 Quote
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