SHIGEMASA: A FINE WOOD NETSUKE OF A SNAIL ON BUCKETBy Shigemasa, signed Shigemasa 重正 and kakihanJapan, Nagoya, mid-19th century, Edo period (1615-1868)Carved from a single block of wood and masterfully stained in various subtle tones. The snail slithers across an upturned bucket, its body arched (forming the himotoshi) over the edge of the bucket, its feelers extended. The finely polished shell is stained in two different colors, with stippling and minute incision work used to achieve the heterogenous surface of the shell as naturalistically as possible – to great effect! The mollusk’s body and inside of the shell is worked with further minute stippling and even the pneumostome (breathing hole) is accounted for. The bucket, as well, is carved true to life, showing the various hues of the wood and grain. Signed on top of the bucket SHIGEMASA with the artist’s kakihan.HEIGHT 3.4 cmCondition: Excellent condition. Only very minor wear, some light surface scratches.Provenance: Dutch private collection, purchased from Kunsthandel Klefisch, Cologne, in 2013.The artist excelled at the carving of snails and was superior in the staining of his work.Literature comparison:For a similar netsuke by Shigemasa, signed with the same kakihan, see Lazarnick, George (1982) Netsuke & Inro Artists, and How to Read Their Signatures, Vol. 2, p. 946.Auction comparison:Compare to a related wood netsuke of a snail on a bucket by Shigemasa, sold at Zacke, Fine Netsuke & Sagemono, 29 October 2021, Vienna, lot 120 (sold for 8,216 EUR).