Featured Japanese Netsuke?

One of the gifts from my friend, the reseller, who is moving and giving up his personal treasures is what I hope is a Japanese netsuke. Not that I think it is an authentic period piece, since there is no wear or discoloration on the holes. I'm just hoping for a piece from Japan that was made in the traditional way by a Japanese artist that meets the 100 year old mark. Ever since I saw an exhibit at a museum, I have been fascinated by them. It does have a signature. It does have an age crack, so I'm hoping it is okay. Any thoughts welcomed.

 

it looks real enuf...........can't speak to age though........

 

You can keep and admire it.They have been hand carving ivory for hundreds of years and still do today.The name is probably meaning less as there have been 10's of thousands of carvers .Proving age is some what expensive I believe and California law is strict.... https://leginfo.legislature.ca.gov/faces/billCompareClient.xhtml?bill_id=201520160AB96

 

Great. I concerned about the age

 

I didn't see anything about age in the California law,they even ban mammoth ivory and they have been extinct for 10,000 years. Link for testing... http://www.ivoryauthenticityandage.com/

 

You’re probably right that it wasn’t a well known artist. I’ve seen some truly spectacular ones. This is fairly mundane. I think the law prohibits sale and perhaps this is why he gave them to me because he couldn’t sell them.

 

For 33 years, I read government bureaucrat for a living
In this case, the netsuke does not meet the second criteria of volume, but the law does allow antiques with ivory bits to be sold
It says:
(c) The prohibitions set forth in subdivision (b) shall not apply to any of the following:
(4) Ivory or rhinoceros horn that is part of a bona fide antique and that is less than five percent by volume of the antique, if the antique status is established by the owner or seller of the antique with historical documentation demonstrating provenance and showing the antique to be not less than 100 years old.

 

at 5%...there's no ivory there worth talking about...

 

Nice gift, Kiko.

It could be old enough, but probably made for trade rather than for wear. It may not be Japanese made.
Would you like me to ask about the origin, signature and age on the International Netsuke Society forums? I am a member.

 

That would be fabulous. I’m so excited
You are terrific. Thank you.

 

It could take some time, every new thread on their forum has to be approved by a mod, and the forum is not as active as this one.
Do you mind if I post your photos there?

 

No problem. It’s not going anywhere. You’re welcome to post them. I can give you others if you think that would be helpful.

 

I think you have done an excellent job with informative photos, as always.
I'll let you know if I hear something.

 

Submitted a post, but it has yet to be approved. I quoted part of your text too.

 

Thank you. I try. What a wonderful society to belong to. I would love to see some of your pieces. I bet they are sensational

 

Not that sensational, just things that appeal to me.

 

Better than my tagua nut one. Can we take a peek?

 

They allow 20% for musical items. Perhaps, their thinking that antiquities with small amounts of ivory would be defaced in order to resale them.

 

I have very few photos of them, and they are certainly not top pieces. But to give you an idea, I love netsuke with fans, like this actor:

 

He is very nice. I love the grace of his upward hand and the billowing of his other sleeve. Such an intent expression.