A Japanese sashi-netsuke of a scepter in the style of Isshosai Hakumin, Asakusa, Meiji period
笑斎 伯民

The very finely carved sashi-netsuke made from stag-antler from a fairly straight and thin section made in the form of a sceptre, the top as a stylised reishi fungus, further flanked by a rain dragon climbing up the side, the himotoshi at the top where the reishi forms the cap, the interior hollow, unsigned, circa 1870

(Quantity:1)

Dimensions: 12.9cm high

Isshosai Hakumin was a maker of netsuke and ojime beads of the Asakusa school. We believe that this is by Isshōsai Hakumin, represented by a single restrained senryuzutsu pipe case in Paul Moss's Kokusai trilogy, vol. III, no. 441. Another example with an owl, signed simply Isshosai, was offered in the 3rd Wrangham sale at Bonhams, London, lot 159. Paul Moss refers to Hakumin's later pipe cases, justifiably, as "outrageously overelaborated creations". One such example could be observed from the Dean collection, appeared in the Sotheby's, London, 14th November 2000, lot 247.