By Ohara Mitsuhiro (1810-1875), signed Mitsuhiro 光廣 Japan, Osaka, mid-19th century, Edo period (1615-1868)
The tsuitate (standing screen) carved on one side with an image of a grim, pensive Daruma against a finely stippled ishime ground. The other side with a beautifully carved pine tree, against the same stippled ground, and next to the signature in a wavy polished reserve MITSUHIRO.
The ivory is typically stained, and the area separating the two sides of the screen is executed in ishime as well. The underside shows the two arched feet on which the screen stands on and one himotoshi, the other ingeniously worked into a ‘natural’ opening of the pine tree.
HEIGHT 3.5 cm
Condition: Excellent condition. Provenance: French private collection, acquired from an Anonymous Sale, Sotheby’s, 12 December 2002, London, lot 323.
Auction comparison: For a related netsuke, showing the same stippled pattern and an identical style of the signature see Bonhams, The Julius and Arlette Katchen Collection of Fine Netsuke Part I, 8 November 2016, London, lot 154 (sold for 10.000 GBP).