Featured Netsuke, fine carving, signed, but not made as one originally?

So, I have this animal head Netsuke, described as bone at the auction but I didn't think it was when I bid on it and i believe it may well be walrus tusk ivory or similar (NOT elephant). The carving quality is superb, and the ends of the possible tusk look as though they have been blocked in by solid 'ivory' before carving and then integrated into the carving I think, which would hide the internal structure...just a thought though.
The head is very heavy, another suggestion it's not bone as well. It is signed underneath but I do wonder if it is a piece, Japanese or not (I wondered Inuit at first), that has been adapted as a Netsuke later as the holes have been drilled with not as much care as the rest of the figure has been carved. They holes do meet by the way and you could thread a cord through successfully. Oh and it's 50mm long.
I believe it should be a bear head, or possibly otter, and it is incredibly tactile in the hand. Does anyone recognise the initials or carving hand? I do love it, it lends itself to being held and I doubt I will part with this one.

 

I'm going with Japanese, dragon's head, some kind of bone, which would also need plugging in order not to have a hole in it. It is not walrus or elephant.

 

Looks like a bone carving of Homer Simpson

 

Made me think of a Hippopotamus.

 

I'm mostly in love with the eyes......!!

 

Interesting, can honestly say it hasn't made me think Dragon, just doesn't seem dragonish! I would have thought the colouring wrong for bone, not of the main body but of the 'vessel' markings (if that's what they are), iv'e had carved bone and normally the vessels are black or very dark, these are tan colour, plus it seems too heavy, feels denser than bone somehow. Hmmmm, not sure.

 

I like the nose. The holes of 2 different sizes are correct for a netsuke.

 

Yeah, they are inlaid, brown with black centre. 2" long

 

I've seen plenty of bone just about this color & can't recall seeing any with black striations. It is clearly hollow down the center, the other major indicator for bone.

 

That's good at least, It was the way they seemed lightly off-set that threw me, such care taken with the rest of the piece. They are uneven at the edges too, which doesn't show very well on the photos.

 

I envy you finding a netsuke this well made and comic in its approach. It looks like a dog to me, but the middle teeth are wrong.

 

I guessed they would be because of the way bone splinters. Must not ever have seen active duty as a netsuke or the cord would have worn them smooth.

 

The mixed character of eyes, ears, nose & teeth is what makes me think something mythical.

 

Fair enough, maybe i'm thinking of more recent bone carving but iv'e certainly had bone with darker vessel opening (thinking rib bones used as smoothers; I used to work with them). Mind you, depends on the bone I guess

 

I see your point. Maybe it is an "Inugami" (I just looked that up). The dog spirit that does the inhabiting.

I was wrong this is a netsuke of an inugami

 

That Inugami is gorgeous!

 

What big teeth you have, Grandma!

 

I fell in love with an Okimono once, a modern carving by Clive Hallam, of a Tanuki or racoon dog. It was stunning but went for way more than I could afford.

 

Are these the trickster critters I think are probably red pandas?

 

I just shipped off a bone carving of a skull...blocked on both top and bottom the same way !!
Of course I've had it for 30 years, & have no photo of it.....of course !!
but you'll see it when Secret Santa gets revealed......