Ɏ JUGYOKU: A FINE IVORY SHUNGA NETSUKE OF A MAN WITH HAMAGURI CLAM By Ryukosai Jugyoku II, signed Jugyoku 寿玉 Japan, Edo (Tokyo), mid-19th century, Edo period (1615-1868) Published: Museum für Ostasiatische Kunst Köln (2017) Netsuke & Sagemono, pp. 124-125, no. 210. Finely carved as a man on top of a large hamaguri shell, his loincloth caught in its jaws. In Japan, the opening of the shell usually represents the vulva, in clams it is more the lip-like bulges on the back. The netsuke shows us how the male reaches there, but at the same time we can observe how on the opposite side his loincloth is caught and how he tugs at it. A well-crafted netsuke, compact and executed with humor, the himotoshi underneath, between them the small signature JUGYOKU - this artist is certainly Ryukosai Jugyoku (Jugyoku II), who lived in Tokyo from about 1815 to 1877 and was an excellent carver. LENGTH 4.1 cm Condition: Good, undamaged condition. The ivory slightly worn. Provenance: Ex-collection Teddy Hahn, Darmstadt, purchased from Zacke. 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.