A JAPANESE IVORY RYUSA NETSUKE MEIJI 1868-1912 Decorated with a central medallion enclosing a...

A JAPANESE IVORY RYUSA NETSUKE

MEIJI 1868-1912

Decorated with a central medallion enclosing a portrait of Ono no Tofu by a stream and under a weeping willow, wearing an eboshi hat and holding a fan before him, the sides carved in openwork with a continuous design of flowering magnolia branches, the reverse with further magnolia amongst stylised clouds, signed Tokoku in a rectangular silver plaque, 4cm.

Cf. F Meinertzhagen, The Meinertzhagen Card Index on Netsuke in the Archives of the British Museum, p.875, for another ryusa by Tokoku with a similar pattern of magnolia blossoms.

Ono no Tofu, also known as Ono no Michikaze (894-966), was a famous Japanese official and artist considered to be the founder of Japanese-style calligraphy.