113 - Ɏ MITSUHIRO: A FINE AND RARE NETSUKE OF A ‘GOMA IRI’ INSCRIBED JAR, EX HINDSON COLLECTION

Ɏ MITSUHIRO: A FINE AND RARE NETSUKE OF A ‘GOMA IRI’ INSCRIBED JAR, EX HINDSON COLLECTION By Ohara Mitsuhiro (1810-1875), signed Mitsuhiro 光廣 with seal Ohara 大原 Japan, Osaka, mid-19 th century, Edo period (1615-1868) Published: Davey, Neil K. (1974) Netsuke: A comprehensive study based on the M.T. Hindson Collection, p. 46, fig. 103. Finely carved as a small jar with a flattened, rounded body rising to a long tubular neck with a subtly flared mouth. The smoothly polished surface is centered by a lobed reserve enclosing the vertically incised inscription, the characters darkly stained and contrasting elegantly with the warm honey-yellow tone of the ivory. Himotoshi underneath and signed MITSUHIRO with seal OHARA and further with an inscription to the top: ‘Goma iri’ [parching sesame]. LENGTH 6 cm Provenance: Ex-collection W.W. Winkworth. Ex-collection M. T. Hindson (1883-1968), acquired from the above. Sotheby’s London, 20 October 1969, lot 1127. William Wilberforce ‘Billy’ Winkworth (1897–1991) was one of the foremost British collectors and connoisseurs of Chinese and Japanese art of his generation and an important early collector of netsuke. Born into a distinguished collecting family, he worked at the British Museum under R. L. Hobson during the 1920s and later at Sotheby’s and Glendining & Co. His discerning eye and close involvement with the London art market made him an influential figure among collectors of Japanese art, particularly netsuke, lacquer, and sword fittings. Condition: Very good condition with only minor wear. Trade Certificate: The trade certificate for the sale of this lot within the EU has been granted (permit number FR2307515435-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.