Japan Wood Wooden netsuke depicting a karako with a mallet in front of a large oval object. - 4.5 cm
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Selected by Peter Reynaers
Has nearly 30 years’ experience and moderated multiple online art research groups.
Estimate € 1,000 - € 1,500
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Original Japanese wooden netsuke showing a karako with a mallet in front of a large egg-shaped object, dating to the late Edo to early Meiji period (c. 1850–1880), with two himotoshi and a honey-brown patina in very good condition.
AI-assisted summary
Description from the seller
Charming Japanese wooden netsuke representing a karako with a mallet, second half of the 19th century, end Edo - beginning Meiji.
The young Chinese boy is depicted standing, with a broadly smiling face, a shaved head animated by the two small lateral tufts characteristic of the karako. He carries a mallet on his right shoulder while his left hand rests on an imposing ovoid object placed in front of him.
This large volume, traversed by several incisions suggesting cracks, has traditionally been interpreted as a giant egg. This reading remains plausible, although the exact identification of the object cannot be considered absolutely certain.
The sculpture is especially appealing for its compact, rounded construction, its play of volumes, and its beautiful honey-brown patina, darker in the recesses. The work is carefully finished on all faces and even underneath the piece, where there are two himotoshi of unequal diameter, perfectly integrated into the composition.
The netsuke is unsigned. The wood, dense with a fine grain, is compatible with Japanese boxwood (tsuge), frequently used for netsuke, though a botanical identification cannot be claimed without material analysis. The Met documents precisely the frequent use of boxwood and the functional role of himotoshi in Japanese netsuke.
Very good overall condition, with a few fine signs of wear and scratches consistent with age. No significant breaks or obvious modern restorations are visible.
Provenance: private Belgian collection, acquired between the 1960s and 1980s; then acquired at a sale room on November 3, 2018.
video link: https://www.dropbox.com/scl/fo/qvzhj8caorpwcohljh4lq/AAtYq1XtOOrkm6DJTCV11cY?rlkey=q1ltekducztem9pwb0cl1gtz4&dl=0
Seller's Story
MIMOSA SA — EXPERTISE, RESEARCH AND TRANSMISSION
For more than 26 years, I have been working as an art dealer specializing in ancient Asian arts. My work is not simply to offer objects: it is to observe them, to understand them, to study them and to document them before passing them to a new collector.
Each work presented by Mimosa SA undergoes thorough examination. Depending on its nature, this study may concern the iconography, the style, the proportions, the material, the execution techniques, surface traces, patina, the condition, restorations, provenance as well as relevant bibliographic, museum or archaeological comparisons. When justified, additional scientific analyses may also be undertaken.
Our approach rests on the experience of sight, gained from direct contact with the works for over two decades, but also on methodical and constantly renewed research. We always favor a cautious, coherent and argued attribution rather than a seductive but insufficiently substantiated assertion.
Transparency is at the heart of our approach. The wear, gaps, accidents, ancient restorations or more recent interventions are reported as precisely as possible. When an attribution carries uncertainty or remains a working hypothesis, it is clearly presented as such.
Present on Catawiki since 2016, we have chosen to maintain a regular selection of works there in order to meet international collectors who value authenticity, knowledge and quality of documentation.
Each acquisition is accompanied by a certificate of authenticity issued under our professional responsibility. For the most important works, this certificate takes the form of a genuine study dossier gathering the main technical, stylistic, iconographic, historical and bibliographic observations made during our research.
The same standard applies to shipping. Over the years, we have developed a packaging method adapted to old, fragile, heavy or complex-shaped objects. Each work is protected, immobilized and carefully packaged, according to its material and its particularities. The shipping costs correspond to the real needs for protection, handling, insurance and secure transport. Shipping is never regarded as a source of commercial profit.
Acquiring a work from Mimosa SA is to receive a selected, studied, described, documented and prepared object with the same care that we would wish for a work destined for our own collection.
Translated by Google TranslateCharming Japanese wooden netsuke representing a karako with a mallet, second half of the 19th century, end Edo - beginning Meiji.
The young Chinese boy is depicted standing, with a broadly smiling face, a shaved head animated by the two small lateral tufts characteristic of the karako. He carries a mallet on his right shoulder while his left hand rests on an imposing ovoid object placed in front of him.
This large volume, traversed by several incisions suggesting cracks, has traditionally been interpreted as a giant egg. This reading remains plausible, although the exact identification of the object cannot be considered absolutely certain.
The sculpture is especially appealing for its compact, rounded construction, its play of volumes, and its beautiful honey-brown patina, darker in the recesses. The work is carefully finished on all faces and even underneath the piece, where there are two himotoshi of unequal diameter, perfectly integrated into the composition.
The netsuke is unsigned. The wood, dense with a fine grain, is compatible with Japanese boxwood (tsuge), frequently used for netsuke, though a botanical identification cannot be claimed without material analysis. The Met documents precisely the frequent use of boxwood and the functional role of himotoshi in Japanese netsuke.
Very good overall condition, with a few fine signs of wear and scratches consistent with age. No significant breaks or obvious modern restorations are visible.
Provenance: private Belgian collection, acquired between the 1960s and 1980s; then acquired at a sale room on November 3, 2018.
video link: https://www.dropbox.com/scl/fo/qvzhj8caorpwcohljh4lq/AAtYq1XtOOrkm6DJTCV11cY?rlkey=q1ltekducztem9pwb0cl1gtz4&dl=0
Seller's Story
MIMOSA SA — EXPERTISE, RESEARCH AND TRANSMISSION
For more than 26 years, I have been working as an art dealer specializing in ancient Asian arts. My work is not simply to offer objects: it is to observe them, to understand them, to study them and to document them before passing them to a new collector.
Each work presented by Mimosa SA undergoes thorough examination. Depending on its nature, this study may concern the iconography, the style, the proportions, the material, the execution techniques, surface traces, patina, the condition, restorations, provenance as well as relevant bibliographic, museum or archaeological comparisons. When justified, additional scientific analyses may also be undertaken.
Our approach rests on the experience of sight, gained from direct contact with the works for over two decades, but also on methodical and constantly renewed research. We always favor a cautious, coherent and argued attribution rather than a seductive but insufficiently substantiated assertion.
Transparency is at the heart of our approach. The wear, gaps, accidents, ancient restorations or more recent interventions are reported as precisely as possible. When an attribution carries uncertainty or remains a working hypothesis, it is clearly presented as such.
Present on Catawiki since 2016, we have chosen to maintain a regular selection of works there in order to meet international collectors who value authenticity, knowledge and quality of documentation.
Each acquisition is accompanied by a certificate of authenticity issued under our professional responsibility. For the most important works, this certificate takes the form of a genuine study dossier gathering the main technical, stylistic, iconographic, historical and bibliographic observations made during our research.
The same standard applies to shipping. Over the years, we have developed a packaging method adapted to old, fragile, heavy or complex-shaped objects. Each work is protected, immobilized and carefully packaged, according to its material and its particularities. The shipping costs correspond to the real needs for protection, handling, insurance and secure transport. Shipping is never regarded as a source of commercial profit.
Acquiring a work from Mimosa SA is to receive a selected, studied, described, documented and prepared object with the same care that we would wish for a work destined for our own collection.
Translated by Google TranslateDetails
Culture
Japan
Century/timeframe
Fin de l’époque Edo - début de l’époque Meiji, vers 1850-1880
Name of object
Wooden netsuke depicting a karako with a mallet in front of a large oval object.
Acquired from
Auction house
Year acquired
2018
Material
Wood
Country acquired from
Europe
Condition
Very good
Previous owner acquired from
Private collection
Height
4.5 cm
Previous owner - year acquired
1980
Width
3.4 cm
Previous owner - country acquired from
Europe
Depth
4.2 cm
I verify that I have obtained this object legally and that I am allowed to sell it
Yes
Authenticity
Original/official
Sold by
Disclaimer
The seller was informed by Catawiki about documentation requirements and guarantees the following: - the object was legally obtained, - the seller has the right to sell and/or export the object, as relevant, - the seller will provide the necessary provenance information and arrange required documentation and permits/licenses, as applicable and as per local laws, - the seller will notify the buyer of any delays in obtaining permits/licenses. By bidding, you acknowledge that import documentation may be required depending on your country of residence and that obtaining permits/licenses may cause delays in the delivery of your object.
The seller was informed by Catawiki about documentation requirements and guarantees the following: - the object was legally obtained, - the seller has the right to sell and/or export the object, as relevant, - the seller will provide the necessary provenance information and arrange required documentation and permits/licenses, as applicable and as per local laws, - the seller will notify the buyer of any delays in obtaining permits/licenses. By bidding, you acknowledge that import documentation may be required depending on your country of residence and that obtaining permits/licenses may cause delays in the delivery of your object.
