Netsuke evaluation

[Svillpa]

This right here is my Netsuke that I got as a present from my grandmother. My grandma told me that this has been her mothers for as long as she can remember and she believe that her mother bought it when visiting london as she used to do alot during her lifetime. So we believe it to be bought around 80 something years ago and I was just coming here to get a second opinion on it. What's everyones thoughts on it?

It depicts a man sitting down with two frogs climbing his body. One sitting on his knee hugging his stomach and one on his left shoulder.

 

[Bugyotsuji]

Gama Sen-nin was a Chinese sage usually shown with a frog/toad. These frogs often have only three legs.

[Matsunoki]

The pics are a bit distant but the figure is most likely Gama Sennin, an immortal often portrayed with toads. You can Google that name and learn all about him. Often the toads have 3 legs! 

It is of a modest quality but that doesn’t really matter as it is a gift from your Gran. 
Probably dating from late 19th/early20thC

 

 

edit…Piers was quicker!

[Svillpa]

Thank you for the info! The frogs have 4 legs on this one, and I noticed aswell that it isn't of the greatest quality but I was not planning on selling it anyway! I am happy to own a antique item as it is, and I am also a bit of a frog enthusiast so I am in love with this piece. It holds sentimental value. Just been curious what it depicts and I got my answer, so thank you both

[Bugyotsuji]

That all sounds healthy, William. This kind of rather crude craft carving is sometimes described as 民芸 Mingei (pronounced min-gay), but many were genuine honest hard-working Netsuke in their own right. Yours is heavily stained, so it is difficult to decide exactly what type of material it is from those distant shots.

 

PS You could crop out 75% of the featureless foreground and background. 

[ROKUJURO]

I would like to see the base of the NETSUKE in magnification, photo taken with dark background, plus the HIMOTOSHI.

[Svillpa]

Thank you again Bugyotsuji! I will make think of that next time 😅

Also didn’t mean to disrespect the piece by calling it of low quality.

 

Also, ROKUJURO, I will come back to you on monday with pictures of the base of the netsuke. I’m in university right now and I will ask around if there are any microscopes where I can take some close-ups of it 👍🏼

[Svillpa]

 

18 hours ago, ROKUJURO said:

I would like to see the base of the NETSUKE in magnification, photo taken with dark background, plus the HIMOTOSHI.

I sent a message not knowing I could quote on yours. You can see it above this one. 
 

Also, what is “HIMOTOSHI”?

[Bugyotsuji]

Himo means ‘string’ or ‘cord’, tōshi means ‘passing’, so the string passages. Their type, size, shape and placement can tell you several things.

 

You don’t need a microscope, just a closer shot of the underneath! 

[Svillpa]

6 hours ago, Bugyotsuji said:

Himo means ‘string’ or ‘cord’, tōshi means ‘passing’, so the string passages. Their type, size, shape and placement can tell you several things.

 

You don’t need a microscope, just a closer shot of the underneath! 

Ok here are some closeups at least. Same pictures but with cutout background. Also added a picture of the underside. The Himotoshi are approximately the same size. I’ve seen others where one of the holes are larger than the other? What does that indicate?

[John C]

On 9/13/2024 at 3:48 PM, Svillpa said:

I’ve seen others where one of the holes are larger than the other? What does that indicate?

William:

Here is at least one explanation:

 

"The reason for the larger hole in the netsuke was that once the cord had been threaded through the inro (or Sagemono) and ojime (the netsuke would then have been threaded on last) it was possible to completely hide the one and only cord knot inside the larger hole."

 

https://www.jncohen....Netsuke/Cordhole.htm

 

John C.

[Matsunoki]

18thC netsuke tend to have one larger hole but later ones usually have holes of  roughly the same size. To properly carve a  large hole requires more time and effort…it isn’t simply a drilled hole as many later examples are. It was internally hollowed out to accommodate the cord knot.

Also, I’m 99% certain yours is elephant Ivory and the shape suggests it utilises an offcut for a larger ivory carving as was very common when tusks were roughly shaped before detailed carving of a large okimono commenced. . 

[ROKUJURO]

To my untrained eyes, it looks as if the big toe of the left foot is broken off (last photo). Can you please check that?

[Svillpa]

On 9/15/2024 at 8:58 PM, Matsunoki said:

18thC netsuke tend to have one larger hole but later ones usually have holes of  roughly the same size. To properly carve a  large hole requires more time and effort…it isn’t simply a drilled hole as many later examples are. It was internally hollowed out to accommodate the cord knot.

Also, I’m 99% certain yours is elephant Ivory and the shape suggests it utilises an offcut for a larger ivory carving as was very common when tusks were roughly shaped before detailed carving of a large okimono commenced. . 

Thank you for the input! When my grandmother gave me the gift she told me about it being elephant ivory but I couldn't take her word for it and wanted a few more eyes to look at it. I am pleased to hear that! Thank you

[Svillpa]

On 9/15/2024 at 9:21 PM, ROKUJURO said:

To my untrained eyes, it looks as if the big toe of the left foot is broken off (last photo). Can you please check that?

That is the case yes. The surface where the toe is missing is very smooth to the touch still so I am not sure if it was a mistake when making the netsuke or if it has been broken off later on and the material itself has smoothen over the years.

[ROKUJURO]

In case the toe broke off in the making, the NETSUKE would never have been finished and left the workshop. So it was very probably an accidental thing.