89 - A FINE AND NATURALISTIC WOOD NETSUKE OF A TORTOISE

A FINE AND NATURALISTIC WOOD NETSUKE OF A TORTOISE Unsigned Japan, 18 th century, Edo period (1615-1868) Finely carved as a tortoise resting low on its short, clawed feet, the domed carapace rising above the compact head and thick, wrinkled limbs. The entire shell is worked with exceptionally fine, irregular incision, the grooves varying subtly in depth and direction as they follow the individual scutes and giving the surface a convincing naturalism rather than a rigid ornamental pattern. The underside is equally carefully finished, with the segmented plastron crisply delineated and asymmetrical himotoshi placed between the limbs. The wood bearing a rich, warm brown tone and smooth wear from handling. LENGTH 6 cm Provenance: From the collection of Mrs. Frederica (Freda) Cook (1856-1925), and thence by descent. Freda Cook entered one of Britain’s most distinguished collecting families through her marriage in 1887 to Wyndham Francis Cook, younger son of Sir Francis Cook, 1st Baronet and Viscount of Monserrate (1817-1901). A wealthy textile magnate and one of the great art collectors of the 19th century, Sir Francis assembled an exceptional collection of Old Master paintings at Doughty House, Richmond, including works by Jan van Eyck, Velázquez, Fra Angelico, Filippo Lippi, and Rembrandt. He also created a Japanese garden at his Portuguese estate of Monserrate, reflecting the family’s broad cosmopolitan interests. Among his acquisitions was the Salvator Mundi, attributed to Leonardo da Vinci, which he purchased in 1900 and which later achieved USD 450.3 million at Christie’s New York in 2017, establishing the world record for the highest price ever paid for a work of art at auction. Following her husband’s death in 1905, Freda inherited a considerable fortune and continued to collect works of art, including Japanese art and netsuke. Her extraordinary handwritten will, completed in 1925, comprises 95,940 words across 1,066 pages and four volumes and remains recognized by Guinness World Records as the longest will ever written. Condition: Very good condition with old wear, a few light surface scratches to the underside, and tiny nibbles to the himotoshi.