TOSHIMUNE: A FINE IVORY OKIMONO DEPICTING A RESTING FLOWER SELLER

TOSHIMUNE: A FINE IVORY OKIMONO DEPICTING A RESTING FLOWER SELLER
By Toshimune, signed Toshimune
Japan, Meiji period (1868-1912)
Exquisitely carved with naturalistic detail, the flower seller seated on a carrying pole (tenbinbo), propped between his two baskets, leaning forward with an amused look. Holding his narrow tobacco pipe (kiseru) in one hand and his inro with manju netsuke in the other, wearing several layers of elaborately patterned robes. Large peony and hibiscus blossoms wrapped in reed mats, one resting in a finely carved basket, are attached to both ends of his carrying pole. The man rests on a reed mat set on a naturalistically rendered ground. The base signed within an engraved and stained rope on a red lacquer tablet TOSHIMUNE.
LENGTH 10.7 cm
Condition: Very good condition with only minor wear and a plugged natural nerve channel.
Provenance:
From a private collection in Belgium, published in the commissioned private catalogue 'The Nibajama collection' no. 37. The base with several old labels.
Auction comparison
Compare a related signed ivory okimono of a flower seller, at Christie's, Asian Art, 23 February 2006, London, lot 2413
(sold for GBP 4,560)
.
Trade Certificate:
The trade certificate for the sale of this lot within the EU has been granted (permit number 2023/BE00398/CE).
This item contains ivory, rhinoceros horn, tortoise shell, and/or some types of tropical wood and is subject to CITES when exporting outside the EU. It is typically not possible to export such items outside of the EU, including to the UK. Therefore, after this item has the necessary trade certificate, it can only be shipped within the EU or picked up in our gallery in person.