Project Description
A Remarkable and Rare Kurogaki Senryu-Zutsu Pipe Holder by Kaigyokusai Masatsugu
The substantial persimmon wood holder in the form of an upward swimming catfish, the left gill enlarged to allow the passage of the pipe stem, the tail with a key hole shaped opening to secure the bowl of the pipe. The eyes are of back painted glass
The long gold rubbed inscription reads: midzunoye-tora oju naniwa tsumurain atari ni sumu kaigyokudō [made on commission in the year of the tiger by Kaigyokudo, living in the Tsumura quarter of Osaka]. This is consistent with the conventional information that the artist used the name Kaigyokudo until he was about 30 years old.
Signed kaigyokudō with kaō
Height 17cm
Compare with an umimatsu sashi-netsuke of the same subject signed Kaigyokusai in Barry Davies Oriental Art, Netsuke Through Three Centuries, 1996, no. 117
MR4481
