100 - Ɏ TAKENOBU: A LARGE AND CHARMING KYOTO SCHOOL IVORY NETSUKE OF A DOG AND PUPPY

Ɏ TAKENOBU: A LARGE AND CHARMING KYOTO SCHOOL IVORY NETSUKE OF A DOG AND PUPPY By Takenobu, signed Takenobu 武信 Japan, Kyoto, late 18th-early 19th century, Edo period (1615-1868) Boldly and compactly carved as an adult dog curled protectively around its puppy, one forepaw resting across the smaller animal’s back. Both display Takenobu’s unmistakably eccentric canine type, with floppy ears, bulging eyes, broad muzzles, and comically vacant expressions, the adult’s slightly open mouth revealing small teeth. Their smooth bodies are enlivened by finely incised and dark-stained piebald markings, while the long tail sweeps around the carving. Large himotoshi through the body. Signed TAKENOBU within a shaped reserve to the haunch. The ivory with a fine warm honey-yellow patina. LENGTH 5.1 cm Provenance: From a noted French private collection. Condition: Very good condition with minor wear and expected age cracks. Museum comparison: Compare a closely related ivory netsuke of a dog and puppy by the same artist, signed Takenobu, 5.1 cm wide, in the Metropolitan Museum of Art, New York, object no. 10.211.634. Auction comparison: Compare a closely related ivory netsuke of a dog and puppy, by the same artist, signed Takenobu, 6 cm long, at Bonhams, Fine Japanese Art, 6 November 2014, London, lot 38 (sold for GBP 3,500 or approx. EUR 6,000 converted and adjusted for inflation at the time of writing). Trade Certificate: The trade certificate for the sale of this lot within the EU has been granted (permit number IT/CE/2024/MI/00309). 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.