244 - A CHARMING AND RARE ANTLER ‘OCTOPUS LISTENING TO THE OCEAN WAVES’ NETSUKE

A CHARMING AND RARE ANTLER ‘OCTOPUS LISTENING TO THE OCEAN WAVES’ NETSUKE Unsigned Japan, 18th century, Edo period (1615-1868) Humorously carved as an anthropomorphic octopus seated inside a woven basket, its bulbous head with ringed eyes and a broad contented smile. One tentacle lifts an awabi shell to the side of its head as though listening to the sound of the ocean, while the remaining tentacles coil animatedly around the basket, their surfaces finely worked with rows of suckers. The imaginative composition transforms a familiar marine motif into a charming and whimsical character study. The warm honey-colored antler is beautifully polished and finely carved throughout. Large himotoshi through the natural opening of the basket and to the back. HEIGHT 4.4 cm Condition: Excellent condition with minor expected wear and typical natural flaws to the material, including a few natural age cracks. The octopus and shell are recurring motifs in Japanese netsuke, often appearing together in humorous compositions and most famously in the erotic imagery of shunga. The present netsuke offers a particularly rare and imaginative interpretation of the subject, transforming the familiar marine pairing into a delightful anthropomorphic scene full of Edo-period wit and inventiveness.