In the form of a cane handle however usable as an okimono. The elongated handle carved from a choice piece of stag antler depicting an octopus on top of a gnarly coral branch with many clams stuck to it. The octopus is holding a large barnacle-covered jar between two of his tentacles and has a fierce expression with large bulging eyes and a funnel-shaped mouth. Octopus are often depicted bursting out of jars in netsuke art, however in this piece the tables have turned. The antler is of a very good color, with the beautiful porous structure especially evident on the smooth head of the mollusk. Also note the other tentacles of the octopus which gently flow down the coral branch, the suckers expressively and naturalistically carved.

Category:

Netsuke

Subcategory:

-

Subject:

Animal

Material:

Antler

Age/Country:

19th Century

Artist:

-

Provenance/Owner:

Galerie Zacke

Signed:

unsigned

Type:

Tall figural

Height:

120mm mm

Width:

mm

Depth:

mm

ID number: