MORITA SOKO: A SUPERB SMALL WOOD NETSUKE OF A RAT ON A STRAW RICE BALEBy Morita Soko (1879-1942), signed Soko 藻己 to 刀Japan, Tokyo, early 20th centuryPublished: Kobijutsu Rokusho vol. 27 (1991), 28.Sagemonoya (1998) So School Netsuke, no. 28.Exquisitely carved as a small rat (nezumI) sitting on a bundle of rice stalks naturalistically carved within a shallow basket, the weaving intricately emulated, its long finely carved tail extending towards the underside and gnawing at a minutely carved branch of persimmon fruit. Signed to the underside within a polished area SOKO to [carved by Soko].LENGTH 3 cmCondition: Tiny chip to one ear, otherwise excellent condition.Provenance: The Bluette H. Kirchhoff Collection of Netsuke and Sagemono, sold at Bonhams, 16 September 2009, New York, lot 2067 (sold for 11,590 USD). A princely collection, acquired from the above.The rat (nezumI) seated on rice stalks is an allusion to the lucky god of wealth Daikoku.Literature comparison:Fuld’s Netsuke and Ojime Index records two further netsuke of rats on a straw basket, each depicted in a different manner. One is recorded in Traditional Objects, INCS Journal, Vol. 4, no. 3, p. 16, figs. 2A & 2B. Another is recorded in Coullery, Marie-Therese and Newstead, Martin S. (1977) The Baur Collection, pp. 360-361, no. C1145.