Project Description

Lacquered wood netsuke of monkey and tortoise by Okatori 

The monkey with one paw poised to grab the turtle’s head as and when it comes out of its shell

Signed: Okatori.  Kyoto, circa 1820

3.1 cm

Provenance:

W.L. Behrens collection (no. 2881)

Thacher Clarke collection

Spink, London, 1960

Julius and Arlette Katchen, Paris

Information: 

There is something rather special about wood netsuke lacquered in this way.  I have previously sold a tiger by Okatori with similar lacquering

Literature: 

Meinertzhagen Card Index, p. 623

Arlette Katchen, Netsuke 7, vol.1, p. 35, no. K195

Bonhams London, The Julius and Arlette Katchen Collection of Fine Netsuke: Part III, 6th May 2018, lot 79

MR2561