Japan Wood Wood netsuke depicting three blind men - signed Gyokurintei - 3.3 cm
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Selected by Peter Reynaers
Has nearly 30 years’ experience and moderated multiple online art research groups.
Estimate € 800 - € 1,000
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Japanese wood netsuke depicting three blind men, signed Gyokurintei, from the late Edo period (19th century), in dark brown wood, dimensions 3.3 × 3 × 2.5 cm, weight 6.2 g, in good condition and authentic.
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Description from the seller
Charming Japanese wooden netsuke depicting three blind men, signed Gyokurintei (玉林亭), Japan, Edo period, 19th century.
This small sculpture stands out for a particularly dense and lively composition: three figures are gathered on an oval base, their bodies, legs and garments interlocking with remarkable economy of means. The faces are strongly individualized and the attitudes contrasted, giving the whole piece an unusual presence and expressiveness despite its dimensions of only 3.3 cm.
The wood presents a beautiful dark brown tone, with warmer nuances and a marked polish on the protruding parts, evidence of ancient handling. The underside retains two himotoshi as well as a signature engraved Gyokurintei in a vertical reserve.
The piece is documented in a 2021 specialized sale where it was already described as portraying three blind men, bearing the Gyokurintei signature. This old note also mentions a very small ancient chip at the base and a provenance from a French private collection.
Works bearing the same Gyokurintei signature are documented in the Edo netsuke tradition; an example published by Zacke in 2024 is notably located in Edo (Tokyo), circa 1820. This rapprochement constitutes an interesting comparative element, without allowing automatic attribution of the present netsuke to the same hand.
Provenance: former French private collection; acquired at public sale in Austria in 2021.
Dimensions: 3.3 × 3 × 2.5 cm.
Weight: 6.2 g.
Very good overall condition for its age, with slight wear and small handling marks. Small discreet ancient chip at the base, already noted in earlier documentation.
An expressive piece, offering both an original iconography, a beautiful patina of use and a historically documented signature.
video link: https://www.dropbox.com/scl/fo/sfctspvfm1vk9ggndo5u7/AAKjBQ5WFR8Tukui8vl0nsM?rlkey=pp3xfy9nzx21119t3mg4653xw&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 depicting three blind men, signed Gyokurintei (玉林亭), Japan, Edo period, 19th century.
This small sculpture stands out for a particularly dense and lively composition: three figures are gathered on an oval base, their bodies, legs and garments interlocking with remarkable economy of means. The faces are strongly individualized and the attitudes contrasted, giving the whole piece an unusual presence and expressiveness despite its dimensions of only 3.3 cm.
The wood presents a beautiful dark brown tone, with warmer nuances and a marked polish on the protruding parts, evidence of ancient handling. The underside retains two himotoshi as well as a signature engraved Gyokurintei in a vertical reserve.
The piece is documented in a 2021 specialized sale where it was already described as portraying three blind men, bearing the Gyokurintei signature. This old note also mentions a very small ancient chip at the base and a provenance from a French private collection.
Works bearing the same Gyokurintei signature are documented in the Edo netsuke tradition; an example published by Zacke in 2024 is notably located in Edo (Tokyo), circa 1820. This rapprochement constitutes an interesting comparative element, without allowing automatic attribution of the present netsuke to the same hand.
Provenance: former French private collection; acquired at public sale in Austria in 2021.
Dimensions: 3.3 × 3 × 2.5 cm.
Weight: 6.2 g.
Very good overall condition for its age, with slight wear and small handling marks. Small discreet ancient chip at the base, already noted in earlier documentation.
An expressive piece, offering both an original iconography, a beautiful patina of use and a historically documented signature.
video link: https://www.dropbox.com/scl/fo/sfctspvfm1vk9ggndo5u7/AAKjBQ5WFR8Tukui8vl0nsM?rlkey=pp3xfy9nzx21119t3mg4653xw&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, XIXe siècle
Name of object
Wood netsuke depicting three blind men - signed Gyokurintei
Acquired from
Private collection
Year acquired
2010
Material
Wood
Country acquired from
Europe
Condition
Good
Previous owner acquired from
Gallery / Antique dealer
Height
3.3 cm
Previous owner - year acquired
2021
Width
3 cm
Previous owner - country acquired from
Europe
Depth
2.5 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.
