† A RARE DARK WOOD NETSUKE OF A DOG SCRATCHING ITS JOWLUnsigned Japan, probably Nagoya, 18th century, Edo period (1615-1868)Finely carved in dark-reddish wood as a dog seated on his haunches, scratching his jowl with his right front paw, the animal well detailed with neatly incised fur, short floppy ears, narrowed eyes, a long snout, and a curled tail. Natural himotoshi between his left front and hind legs as well as his right front leg and neck.LENGTH 4.5 cmCondition: Small chip to the left front paw. Otherwise, good condition with minor expected wear and traces of use including a few tiny nicks.Provenance: A noted private collection, USA.The wood used, overall power and earthiness of the design, as well as the rugged yet fine execution, are reminiscent of Tametaka of Nagoya.Literature comparison:Compare to a closely related dark wood netsuke of a puppy scratching its ear, signed Goto, illustrated in Barry Davies Oriental Art (2002) Netsuke and Inro from European Collections, no. 120.Auction comparison:Compare to a related wood netsuke of a dog, by Tametaka, at Bonhams, The Julius & Arlette Katchen Collection of Netsuke Part II, 10 May 2017, London, lot 117 (sold for 9,375 GBP).13% VAT will be added to the hammer price additional to the buyer’s premium – only for buyers within the EU.