A FINE IVORY NETSUKE DEPICTING TWO RABBITS WITH CORAL-INLAID EYES

A FINE IVORY NETSUKE DEPICTING TWO RABBITS WITH CORAL-INLAID EYES
Unsigned
Japan, 19th century, Edo period (1615-1868)
Finely carved as two hares with laid back ears, seated with one resting its front paws on the haunch of the larger rabbit. Their small feet detailed with soft features while their eyes are inlaid with coral. Each delicately stained with a few beige spots. Two small himotoshi to the base.
LENGTH 4.6 cm
Condition: Very good condition with minor wear and expected age cracks.
Provenance:
Collection of Charles Rozenfeld, Antwerp, Belgium. Charles Simon Rozenfeld (1943-2020) was a Belgian diamond dealer and keen collector of Japanese art, particularly ivory.
Museum comparison:
Compare a closely related ivory netsuke, likely from the same hand, depicting a single rabbit with coral-inlaid eyes, in the Metropolitan Museum of Art (The MET), New York, accession no. 10.211.10.
Trade Certificate:
The trade certificate for the sale of this lot within the EU has been granted (permit number 2023/BE00449/CE).
This item contains ivory, rhinoceros horn, tortoise shell, and/or some types of tropical wood and is subject to CITES when exporting outside the EU. It is typically not possible to export such items outside of the EU, including to the UK. Therefore, after this item has the necessary trade certificate, it can only be shipped within the EU or picked up in our gallery in person.