Ɏ A SUPERB IVORY NETSUKE OF A DIVING GIRL, AMA

Ɏ A SUPERB IVORY NETSUKE OF A DIVING GIRL, AMA Unsigned Japan, late 18th century, Edo period (1615-1868) Published: Ducros, Alain (1994) Netsuke & Sagemono, no. 67. An exquisite ivory netsuke depicting a diving/fisher girl (ama) holding an awabi shell suggestively in one hand, the other holding the cord of her straw skirt. Her long finely incised hair flows gently down her back and along one of her breasts as she looks to her left, invitingly smiling with her mouth slightly agape. Her straw skirt resembles a minogame’s tail and is, like her hair, treated with sumi ink. She lifts one foot ever so gently, lending movement to the composition. The ivory is beautifully worn with a beautiful honey-golden patina. Large, asymmetrical, and generously excavated himotoshi to the reverse. HEIGHT 7 cm Condition: Very good condition with minor wear and light age cracks. Provenance: Eskenazi, April 1986. Ex-collection Guy de Lasteyrie, acquired from the above. De Lasteyrie is a member of the Lasteyrie du Saillant family and is considered among the leading French collectors of netsuke. Auction comparison: Compare a closely related ivory netsuke of an ama, at Galerie Zacke, Fine Netsuke & Sagemono, 25 September 2020, Vienna, lot 28 ( sold for EUR 9,480). Trade Certificate: The trade certificate for the sale of this lot within the EU has been granted (permit number FR2207508115-K). This item contains ivory, rhinoceros horn, tortoise shell, and/or some types of tropical wood and is subject to CITES when exporting outside the EU. It is typically not possible to export such items outside of the EU, including to the UK. Therefore, after this item has the necessary trade certificate, it can only be shipped within the EU or picked up in our gallery in person.