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KUNIHIRO: A WOOD NETSUKE OF THE THREE SAKE TESTERS KUNIHIRO: A WOOD NETSUKE OF THE THREE SAKE TESTERS By Kunihiro, signed Kunihiro saku 國廣作 Japan, 19th century, Edo period (1615-1868) The three sages, Shaka, Roshi, and Koshi seated around a round table, enveloped in their long flowing robes and showing cheerful and amusing expressions as they are clearly inebriated from testing a little too much sake. Two chrysanthemum-ringed himotoshi to the underside and signed KUNIHIRO saku (Made by Kunihiro). Condition: Good condition with minor surface wear, age cracks, and light scratches. A tiny chip to one headdress. Provenance: From the private collection of Armand Basi. A copy of the collector’s notes, no. 779, accompanies this lot. Armand Basi (1924-2009) was a Spanish businessman and fashion designer, co-founder of the fashion firm bearing his name. He was a Japanese art enthusiast and amassed a large collection of netsuke in his lifetime. In 1948, along with his brother Josep, Armand Basi founded a small knitting company inspired by their mother Mercé Sabi's knitted sweaters. By the end of the 1950s the business had expanded into a large textiles company, opening a factory on Balcells Street in Barcelona in 1958. In 1961–62, the Basis signed an exclusive contract with Lacoste to manufacture and distribute Lacoste products in Spain. In 1986, Basi launched his eponymous fashion brand, which produced accessories, perfume, jewelry and watches, as well as clothing in more than 400 stores across Spain, Europe, North America and Asia. The subject represents Sakusui sankyo with three sages, Roshi (Lao Tze), Shaka (Buddha) and Koshi (Confucius), who are often depicted tasting sake from a jar. This depiction is a metaphor explaining that although religious or philosophical origins are expressed differently, ultimately, they are derived from the same source.

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KUNIHIRO: A WOOD NETSUKE OF THE THREE SAKE TESTERS KUNIHIRO: A WOOD NETSUKE OF THE THREE SAKE TESTERS By Kunihiro, signed Kunihiro saku 國廣作 Japan, 19th century, Edo period (1615-1868) The three sages, Shaka, Roshi, and Koshi seated around a round table, enveloped in their long flowing robes and showing cheerful and amusing expressions as they are clearly inebriated from testing a little too much sake. Two chrysanthemum-ringed himotoshi to the underside and signed KUNIHIRO saku (Made by Kunihiro). Condition: Good condition with minor surface wear, age cracks, and light scratches. A tiny chip to one headdress. Provenance: From the private collection of Armand Basi. A copy of the collector’s notes, no. 779, accompanies this lot. Armand Basi (1924-2009) was a Spanish businessman and fashion designer, co-founder of the fashion firm bearing his name. He was a Japanese art enthusiast and amassed a large collection of netsuke in his lifetime. In 1948, along with his brother Josep, Armand Basi founded a small knitting company inspired by their mother Mercé Sabi's knitted sweaters. By the end of the 1950s the business had expanded into a large textiles company, opening a factory on Balcells Street in Barcelona in 1958. In 1961–62, the Basis signed an exclusive contract with Lacoste to manufacture and distribute Lacoste products in Spain. In 1986, Basi launched his eponymous fashion brand, which produced accessories, perfume, jewelry and watches, as well as clothing in more than 400 stores across Spain, Europe, North America and Asia. The subject represents Sakusui sankyo with three sages, Roshi (Lao Tze), Shaka (Buddha) and Koshi (Confucius), who are often depicted tasting sake from a jar. This depiction is a metaphor explaining that although religious or philosophical origins are expressed differently, ultimately, they are derived from the same source.

Estimate 250 - 500 EUR
Starting price 250 EUR

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For sale on Tuesday 03 Sep : 11:00 (CEST)
vienna, Austria
Galerie Zacke
+4315320452
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NAITO TOYOMASA: A SUPERB INLAID WOOD NETSUKE OF TWIN NASUBI (EGGPLANT) AND A FLY NAITO TOYOMASA: A SUPERB INLAID WOOD NETSUKE OF TWIN NASUBI (EGGPLANT) AND A FLY By Naito Toyomasa (1773-1857), signed Toyomasa 豊昌 Japan, Sasayama, Tanba Province, 19th century, Edo period (1615-1868) Published: Stern, Harold P. (1972) The Magnificent Three: Lacquer, Netsuke, and Tsuba, p. 66-67, no. 95. Finely carved, the larger and smaller nasubi (eggplants) with their stems touching the base of the other in a yin-yang fashion, the wood superbly polished, and the stems finely stippled and accentuated with black staining in the idiosyncratic manner of this master artist. One side revealing a large fly, carved from stained bone, lodged deep into the flesh of the larger eggplant. Himotoshi formed by the pleasingly curling stems. Signed TOYOMASA to the underside of the large nasubi. LENGTH 3.9 cm Condition: Very good condition with minor wear and few faint natural age cracks. Provenance: Ex-collection of Charles A. Greenfield. Private collection in Illies, France. Private collection in northern Germany, acquired from the above. Literature comparison: Compare a related wood netsuke of two rotten chestnuts with an inlaid maggot which has similarly burrowed itself into the nut, signed Toyomasa, illustrated in Davies, Barry (1998) The Robert S. Huthart Collection of Non-Iwami Netsuke, p. 182-183, no. 131. Compare a related wood netsuke of three rotten Hozuki (winter cherries), bearing similar stippling, signed Toyomasa, at Zacke, Kunst der Netsuke und Inro Japans, 1991, Vienna, lot 47. Compare a related wood sake-cup netsuke of a double gourd being surmounted by a spider, its shape similar to the present lot, signed Toyomasa, illustrated in Davies, Barry (1998) The Robert S. Huthart Collection of Non-Iwami Netsuke, p. 186-187, no. 134.