By Genryosai Minkoku I, signed Minkoku 民谷
Japan, Edo (Tokyo), late 18th century, Edo period (1615-1868)

Finely carved as a groom desperately clinging to the reins of the horse he is trying to wash with little success. The groom with the mouth agape as he falls from the horse. The saddled horse with neatly incised details, standing in a dynamic posture with the legs bent and head turned back, its tail raised and elegantly falling. The generously excavated himotoshi are cleverly placed underneath the leg of the groom, below the boldly incised signature MINKOKU.

The gorgeous deep honey yellow patina, signature, and bold carving style clearly date this piece to the 18th century and therefore must be attributed to Minkoku I, who almost exclusively worked in wood and only very rarely carved pieces made from ivory. For a discussion of this carver and another ivory netsuke of Shoki and oni (fig.7) see Rimondi, Giovanni (Fall 2017) Genryosai Minkoku, an early Edo Netsukeshi, Part 2, INCS, vol. 37, no. 3, pp. 30-38.

LENGTH 5.6 cm

Condition: Appealingly worn, old restorations. Deep honey-gold patina.
Provenance: The Gabor Wilhelm Collection, Paris.

This item contains or is made from elephant ivory 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. Please note that in compliance with EU regulation effective January 19th, 2022, all items carved from elephant ivory before 1947 must carry a legal trade permit issued by the Austrian ministry of trade, or any other appropriate authority within the European Union. For this reason, any sale of such item can only be concluded after such permit has been granted. All payments made prior to the issuance of the respective permit will be held in escrow until the application for the permit has been approved. Please note that according to EU regulation it may take up to 3 months until the permit has been granted. In case the permit is declined, or not granted after 3 months, the payment will be returned to the client immediately.