A TSUISHU LACQUER TWO-PART MANJU NETSUKE BY YOSEI
Tsuishu lacquer and wood manju netsukeJapanlate 18th – early 19th century, Edo period (1615-1868)A relatively large and functional two-part manju netsuke carved in solid red tsuishu lacquer, with depictions of flowers on an asanoha ground. This type of lacquer was used due to its superior durability. The inside is lacquered in black with the signature YOSEI zo (made this).The name Yosei corresponds to an important family of lacquerers from the 14th-19th century and Jahss writes ‘their (Yosei) tsuishu far surpasses the Chinese work in richness and colour, beauty, skill of carving and variation of design’.DIAMETER 4.5 CMCondition: Minor loss to the stem of one of the flowers – otherwise in good conditionProvenance: Edward Wrangham collection, then British private collection