Bonhams Offers Rare Japanese Netsuke Credited to Naitō Toyomasa and Gesshō

Traditional Japanese netsuke from the collection of Joseph and Elena Kurstin is going under the hammer at Bonhams. The auction begins with Hatching Tengu, a 19th-century fine wood netsuke (miniature sculpture) of Tengu no Tamago. It was created by Naitō Toyomasa during the Edo period (1615 – 1868), based on the Japanese folklore of Tengu, a mischievous supernatural being considered the reincarnated spirit of someone proud and arrogant in a past life. The available Toyomasa netsuke is carved as a mythical bird-like creature emerging from an egg, biting the top of its left wing as it stretches it to its length. Details are finely incised, like the inlaid eyes of translucent and dark horns. 

A netsuke of a contortionist attributed to Gesshō is also available. His legs stick straight up in the air, and his face bears a wide grin. It is a wooden netsuke also created during the 18th-century Edo period. The tumbler is dressed in a Chinese-style vest and cap, supporting himself on his bent forearms. The surface is well-worn, bearing a warm patina. The piece stands 6cm high. Another key lot is a netsuke showing a Chinese boy holding a puppy. It is lacquered in silver, gold, red, and black. The boy stands dressed in robes decorated with roundels of butterflies, stylized dragons, squirrels, and flower blossoms. His robe has chevron details, and he carries a kinchaku (purse) with a netsuke suspended from his sash. Find the listed items and more on Bonhams and register to place a bid.