IKKAN: A SUPERB WOOD NETSUKE OF TWO RATSBy Ikkan, signed Ikkan 一貫 Japan, Nagoya, mid-19th century, Edo period (1615-1868)Published: Katchen, Arlette (2010) Netsuke 7, Vol. 2, pp. 27-28, no. K277.The cherry wood finely carved to depict two rats huddled close together, one curled into a ball in order to lick its left hind leg, the eyes of both inlaid with dark buffalo horn, the recumbent rat with incisors inlaid with bone. Their furs are neatly incised and darkly stained. Natural himotoshi between the two rats. The underside is well carved with the rats’ paws, two of which are on top of each other, their finely incised tails, and the signature IKKAN.LENGTH 3.8 cmCondition: Excellent condition with minor wear. Provenance: Ex-collection Julius and Arlette Katchen, Paris. Sotheby’s, The Katchen Collection of Netsuke Part I, 8 November 2005, London, lot 104 (sold for 16,800 GBP). French private collection, acquired from the above.Neil Davey’s catalog note in the Katchen sale catalog states: “Ikkan produced several examples of the subject, of which this is one of the finest recorded.”Museum comparison: Compare a closely related wood netsuke of two rats by Ikkan in the Metropolitan Museum of Art, accession number 1985.399.19.Auction comparison:Compare a closely related wood netsuke of two rats by Ikkan at Bonhams, The Harriet Szechenyi Sale of Japanese Art, 8 November 2011, London, lot 110 (sold for 9,375 GBP).