Powerful Shishi sitting upright, its head turned, mouth open and snarling. It is holding a huge ball with both impressively strong front-paws and its right hind-paw. Ivory, boldly carved and polished, beautiful, heavy mane-curls with dark accents, pupils inlaid in black horn. Signed on rounded rectangular reserve: Mitsuharu, cf. MCI, p.532, illustrated there with a similar model by this Ky?to artist, though in comparison it shows less overall plastic strength and quality of details. But Meinertzhagen does mention two Karashishi with a ball among his eight pieces by this Soken Kisho carver, one of which may well be our piece. The signatures and reserves he shows are all different. The Catalogue of the Cologne Netsuke Convention 2017, "Netsuke & Sagemono", no.149, p.96, shows a very similar, though unsigned netsuke, which however Alain Ducros attributes to Gechu because it has six claws per paw. Even though, the similarity of posture and details of design with our piece are striking, and I am tempted to believe that Mitsuharu is a more likely artist. H.5cm. Condition A.
Please note that objects made of ivory, rhinoceros horn and turtle shell, due to Cites regulations can only be sold within the European Community. At present the export in third countries is prohibited.