Project Description

Kagamibuta Style Netsuke with Tigers by Kokei

The plate carved with two tigers circling each other in a river, the bowl with himotoshi provided by a small gourd in relief
Signed on the bowl. Inscribed in ink on the reverse of the plate: meiji roku nen … hachigatsu kokei saku
Diameter: 4.1 cm
As far as I know, this is the only such netsuke by Kokei. The dating to 1873 possibly gives us unique information on the artist’s lifespan
Provenance:
Anonymous sale, Christies South Kensington, 25th October 1984, lot 3
Purchased by Jim Hennen, Lookout Mountain TN
MR4074