† A SUPERB AND VERY RARE WOOD NETSUKE OF AN OX AND CALF, ATTRIBUTED TO TAMETAKAAttributed to Tametaka, unsignedJapan, Nagoya, 18th century, Edo period (1615-1868)Superbly carved in dark-reddish wood as an ox with curved horns and realistically rendered spine, the hairwork executed in bold strokes, the high points beautifully worn and bearing a superb, unctuous patina, the young calf nestling up to the parent seeking warmth and pressing its muzzle into its parent’s side. The underside very finely carved, the legs tucked underneath the body for compactness, and with large, generously excavated himotoshi.There appears to be some illegible remnants of kanji characters on the haunch where the signature is usually located. The boldly executed design, strong character, and idiosyncratic ‘ruggedness’, coupled with a clear 18th-century patina, strongly suggest the artist Tametaka, whom this netsuke is confidently attributed to.LENGTH 5.1 cmTametaka is the earliest recorded netsuke artist from Nagoya and is listed in the Soken Kisho, the first publication on netsuke published in 1781. Oxen are to be considered extremely rare by this artist with only few examples recorded and this would be the only recorded example of an ox and calf.Condition: Excellent condition with typical, old surface wearProvenance: A noted private collection, USA.Literature comparison:Compare to two wood netsuke depicting oxen by Tametaka in Lazarnick, George (1981) Netsuke & Inro Artists, and How to Read Their Signatures (LNIA), Vol. 2, p. 1075.Auction comparison:Compare to a related ebony wood netsuke of a recumbent ox by Ikkan, dated 19th century, at Bonhams, The Edward Wrangham Collection of Japanese Art Part I, 9 November 2010, London, lot 130 (sold for 10,200 GBP).13% VAT will be added to the hammer price additional to the buyer’s premium – only for buyers within the EU.