No Pocket for Kimonos

[Pierre Tavlitzki]

To carry things, the Japanese used small bags hanging from the waistband of their kimono. The best known on the art market is the inro. To avoid these precious bags slipping, their cords were blocked by a small device known as a netsuke.

The netsuke is by design a small object. Its first role was utilitarian, and it was made in all types of common materials. From the late eighteenth century, it becomes an art in itself, as the subjects represented are so varied: animals, chimeras, demons, characters.

The creativity of the artists is unlimited, but all these artworks have one thing in common: they are malicious and friendly. The netsuke became a much popular collector's item that can be found at all prices.

Many are signed, but signatures are endless and make it difficult to establish the history of these artists. Masanao name is one of the most prestigious, but it is affected to several homonyms.

On September 16 in New York, Bonhams sells a carp made in ivory in the late eighteenth century by Masanao at Kyoto. This netsuke is estimated $ 40K. The fish is shown twisted in a compact position in a diameter of 5 cm. It was signed in an oval reserve on one of the fins.

[Pierre Tavlitzki]

Very good result for the carp of Masanao: 47.5 K $ hammer, 58 K $ including fees.