275 - MASATOSHI: MOLE (MOGURA)

MASATOSHI: MOLE (MOGURA) By Masatoshi (Nakamura Tokisada, 1915-2002), signed Masatoshi 雅俊 Japan, Tokyo, second half of the 20 th century Superbly carved from dense ebony as a mole curled into a compact, tactile form, its elongated pointed snout projecting forward and its minute eyes almost disappearing into the dense fur. The short, powerful forelimbs are drawn tightly against the body and terminate in broad, shovel-like paws with carefully delineated claws, while the hindquarters and short tail are neatly tucked beneath. The rounded body is covered throughout with exceptionally fine, closely incised hairwork following the natural direction of the mole’s velvety coat, contrasting with the smoothly polished snout, nose, and claws. Unlike the other recorded examples of this model, which have inlaid eyes, those of the present netsuke are carved directly into the ebony. The underside with very large himotoshi and signed MASATOSHI. LENGTH 5.5 cm Condition: Excellent condition. With a wood tomobako (storage box) inscribed to the cover Netsuke Mogura 根付、土竜 (‘A netsuke of a mole’), signed to the inside of the lid Jikishian, Masatoshi 直指庵、雅俊 with the seal Masatoshi, and with a further small seal to the side of the box. The present lot appears to be only the fourth recorded mole netsuke by Masatoshi, adding a previously unknown example to a remarkably small group. The unusual subject arose directly from the artist’s own experience, as he recalled in Raymond Bushell, The Art of Netsuke Carving by Masatoshi as Told to Raymond Bushell, 1992, no. 282, p. 206: “A mole once made its home in my garden. It was a nuisance, its digging constantly blocking my water pipes and drains. In an effort to get rid of it, I filled its holes with stones and poured water in, but it had an escape route and eluded me with ease. In some areas farmers call the mole a ‘potato rat’.” The anecdote perfectly encapsulates Masatoshi’s ability to transform even the humblest and most troublesome encounters of daily life into compelling sculptural subjects. The present example is further distinguished from the other recorded versions by its carved rather than inlaid eyes, giving the animal a particularly understated and naturalistic expression. Museum comparison: Compare a closely related ebony wood netsuke of a mole by the same artist, completed in December 1960, 5.9 cm long, Ex-collection Raymond and Frances Bushell, in the Los Angeles County Museum of Art, accession number AC1998.249.269. Auction comparison: Compare a closely related ebony wood netsuke of a mole by the same artist, signed Tokisada, completed in December 1960, 5.3 cm long, at Christie’s, The Raymond and Frances Bushell Collection of Netsuke, Part 1, 27 October 1987, London, lot 78 (sold for GBP 11,000 or approx. EUR 40,000 converted and adjusted for inflation at the time of writing). Also compare a closely related ebony wood netsuke of a mole by the same artist, signed Tokisada, completed in November 1991, 5.3 cm long, at Bonhams, The Bluette H. Kirchhoff Collection of Netsuke and Sagemono, 16 September 2009, New York, lot 2139 (sold for USD 10,370 or approx. EUR 13,500 converted and adjusted for inflation at the time of writing).