A marine ivory tusk seal netsuke of a frog, by Kinryû. Second half 19th century - image-1

Lot 385 Dα

A marine ivory tusk seal netsuke of a frog, by Kinryû. Second half 19th century

Auktion 1124 - Übersicht Köln
07.12.2018, 13:00 - Japan II - Rüstung, Schwertschmuck, Netsuke, Inro, Sagemono inkl. Slg. Papp II
Schätzpreis: 300 € - 400 €
Ergebnis: 688 € (inkl. Aufgeld)

A marine ivory tusk seal netsuke of a frog, by Kinryû. Second half 19th century

Engraved with a frog jumping up to reach for a sloping branch of a willow, and inscribed with a poem. At the base a four-character seal in relief. Signed Kinryû tô.
Height 7.8 cm

The design is an allusion to Ono no Tofu who tried seven times to obtain a higher post in court but did not succeed. When he saw that a frog only reached a willow branch at the eighth attempt, he took courage again and eventually rose to the highest rank under emperor Murakami.

Provenienz

Purchased from Ohmura, Hamburg, April 1969
Coll. no. 785 (printed and handwritten)