A FINE PALE STAG-ANTLER NETSUKE OF A SNAIL CRAWLING ON A MUSHROOM AFTER OZAKI KOKUSAI
Stag-antler netsukeJapan, Asakusa19th century, Edo period (1615-1868)The katatsumuri, or snail, is crawling up the mushroom, its head with extended antennae and dark horn inlaid eyes is attached to the mushroom head, which shows two volutes opposite each other. The spiral-like snail shell is crafted with great attention to detail. The porous antler structure is visible on the underside. Signed in a square frame on the foot of the mushroom KOKU for Kokusai, the founder and leading master of the Asakusa school in Tokyo. Natural himotoshi between the snail and the stalk.Several examples of this depiction are known by Ozaki Kokusai, however none executed in this kind of rare pale stag antler. The style of carving is also different – the snail is more sensitive, with considerably more attention to the shell. Also, the posture differs from the original model. Most likely this was made by a carver from Kokusai’s Asakusa school in homage to his original model (see Literature).LENGTH 4.3 CMCondition: Excellent conditionProvenance: French private collectionAuction comparison: For a similar model by Ozaki Kokusai see Bonhams, The Harriet Szechenyi Sale of Japanese Art, London, 8 November 2011, lot 226.Literature: Compare to two snails by Kokusai in ‘Kokusai the Genius: And Stag-Antler Carving in Japan’, Paul Moss, London, 2017, nos. 86 & 87