KOKUSAI: A SUPERB STAG ANTLER CHAIRE (TEA CADDY)

KOKUSAI: A SUPERB STAG ANTLER CHAIRE (TEA CADDY)
By Ozaki Kokusai (1835-1892), signed Koku 谷
Japan, Shiba, Tokyo, c. 1860-1880
Published:
Moss, Sydney L. (2016) Kokusai The Genius: and Stag-antler Carving in Japan, vol. II, pp. 168-169, no. 167.
Masterfully carved in imitation of a potter chaire (tea caddy) with a beautifully stippled and ink-engraved design of grasses, some of the design using the naturally markings of the antler. The lid is of ivory, again in imitation of the typical pottery chaire lid, which are usually carved from ivory. The underside with a plugged spiral-ridged base, showing a circular seal KOKU, where one might typically expect the potter's mark (typically, Raku), deliberately half obscured as if partially glazed over. One himotoshi to the side, the cord attachment to the underside of the flush-fitting ivory lid, which shows a firing flaw in the form of a simulated crack.
HEIGHT 3.7 cm
Condition: Excellent condition.
Provenance:
Ex-collection June Schuerch.
Literature comparison:
A similar stag antler ojime of a chaire, also with ivory lid and by Ozaki Kokusai, is illustrated next to the present lot in Moss, Sydney L. (2016) Kokusai The Genius: and Stag-antler Carving in Japan, vol. II, pp. 168-169, no. 168. Another smaller stag antler netsuke of a chaire, also with ivory lid and by Ozaki Kokusai, is illustrated in Moss, Sydney L. (1982) Eccentrics in Netsuke, pp. 112-113, no. 71.
Trade Certificate:
In accordance with new EU regulations that went into effect in January 2022, we have applied for a certificate to sell this item within the EU. We expect the Austrian Federal Ministry for Climate Action, Environment, Energy, Mobility, Innovation and Technology to issue the certificate in 4-8 weeks. The item can only be shipped / handed over once the certificate has been issued.
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.