A fine Osaka school ivory netsuke of a lunar hare, by Masahiro. Ca. 1840-1870 - image-1

Lot 103 Dα

A fine Osaka school ivory netsuke of a lunar hare, by Masahiro. Ca. 1840-1870

Auction 1036 - overview Cologne
14.06.2014, 10:00 - The Kolodotschko Collection of Netsuke I
Estimate: 1.000 € - 1.400 €
Result: 3.660 € (incl. premium)

A fine Osaka school ivory netsuke of a lunar hare, by Masahiro. Ca. 1840-1870

Holding a pestle, the hare is leaning against a full moon surrounded by clouds. Eyes of carnelian. Signed Masahiro.
Height 2.7 cm; length 4.3 cm

The full moon is called mochi in Japanese but the term mochi also refers to rice dumplings. The pestle the hare is holding is an allusion to the Chinese legend of the hare pounding the elixir in the moon as well as to pounding the New Year's mochi.