Ivory netsukeJapan, Osakalate 19th century, Meiji period (1868-1912)A classical subject for this celebrated artist, who was also known for his fine models of tortoises. Depicted is a wasp nest with two large wasps, their eyes inlaid in black horn, on each side. The nest is covered with many holes and is carved very naturalistically, the surface on the outside is arduously corrugated. When twisting and turning the netsuke in the hand, one immediately notices that some of the larvae, which fill most of the holes of the nest, are movable. The stem of the nest is inlaid in black horn, himotoshi on the sideand signature in an oval reserve CHUICHI/TADAKAZU.HEIGHT 3.5 CMCondition: Very good condition, some wearProvenance: Collection of Sam Felton, acquired from Sotheby’s London on 20th September 1979, lot 267Auction comparison: For a similar netsuke by Chuichi see Wooley and Wallis, Asian Art II, 22 May 2014, lot 1003.Literature: Another wasp nest netsuke by Chuichi is depicted in ‘Netsuke & Inro Artists and how to read their signatures’ by George Lazarnick, 1981, page 347.