Beschreibung:

Lot details Attributed to Mitsuharu, unsigned Japan, Kyoto, late 18th century, Edo period (1615-1868) Powerfully carved and displaying all the signature traits of Mitsuharu, depicting a horned dragon coiling around itself, the tail forming the base of the netsuke, the head raised toward the sky, the mouth wide open revealing teeth and tongue, with a fierce expression, the scales and other details finely incised. A small loose ivory ball is enclosed in the openwork structure of the netsuke. Natural himotoshi. The ivory bearing a superb deep-yellow patina. LENGTH 5 cm Condition: Very good condition with minor wear, two small chips to the edge which have smoothened over time. Fine, honey-brown patina. The inlaid eye is lost. Provenance: The Gabor Wilhelm Collection, Paris. Literature comparison: There does not appear to be any netsuke of dragons which are in fact signed Mitsuharu, however a number can be confidently attributed to the artist. See for example two dragons in International Netsuke Society Journal (Spring 2019) Vol. 39, no. 1, p. 20, nos. 25-26. Auction comparison: Compare a related ivory netsuke of a dragon, also attributed to Mitsuharu and dated late 18th century, at Zacke, Fine Netsuke & Sagemono, 16 April 2021, Vienna, lot 58 (sold for 3,286 EUR). Trade Certificate: In accordance with new EU regulations that went into effect in January 2022, we have applied for a certificate to sell this item within the EU. We expect the Austrian Federal Ministry for Climate Action, Environment, Energy, Mobility, Innovation and Technology to issue the certificate in 4-8 weeks. The item can only be shipped / handed over once the certificate has been issued.