† MINKO: A WOOD TRICK NETSUKE OF A DARUMA DOLLBy Tanaka Juntoku Minko (1735-1816), signed Minko 岷江 with kakihanJapan, Tsu, early 19th century, Edo period (1615-1868)A beautifully rounded and compact wood netsuke, the light-toned wood superbly polished and attractively tactile, depicting a daruma doll with stern expression and incised beard, the eyes switching when lightly tapped. Large, asymmetrical himotoshi underneath, the smaller hole ringed, and signed MINKO with a red-inked kakihan.HEIGHT 2.8 cmCondition: Very good condition with only very minor wear. The mechanism slightly loose. Provenance: A noted private collection, USA.Literature comparison:A similar, yet larger netsuke by Minko in a similarly toned wood is illustrated in Bandini, Rosemary (2019), The Larry Caplan Collection of Japanese Netsuke, no. 3.13% VAT will be added to the hammer price additional to the buyer’s premium – only for buyers within the EU.