**SOLD** Ivory Rat Netsuke

Ivory netsuke of a male rat by Masanao of Kyoto

Standing on its hind paws and holding its snaking tail in its right forepaw. It has the fleshy ears, large horn cabochon inlaid eyes and incised whiskers which are characteristic of the master

Signed beneath: Masanao. Kyoto. Circa 1760-80

Length: 5.1 cm

A foot and part of the tail restored

Provenance:

Julius and Arlette Katchen collection, Paris

Information:

This is one of only two rats by Masanao in the Katchen collection, the other one in wood illustrated on the same page as indicated in the literature. The wood version will appear in Bonhams’ final dispersal of the collection in May 2018

Literature:

A. Katchen, Netsuke 7, vol. 1, pp. 62-63, no. K25

MR1279