Project Description
Fine Boxwood Netsuke of a Rotting Pear by Bazan
With a small bone maggot inside. One seed visible in the exposed core. The skin of the fruit has ukibori pimples
Signed in ukibori. 2nd half 19th century
Length: 3.5 cm
According to Meinertzhagen (op. cit.), the dark areas were produced by singeing. He was also informed by a Mr. Köhler that Bazan’s pears were intentionally perfumed with the scent of the Japanese nashi pear. I tend to scepticism here, as one wonders how that would be achieved, and I have not observed much perfume on a nashi. In all events, no sign of it now.
MR5309
