Japanese carved ivory netsuke depicting a Hannya mask and drum
Record status
Individual type · partial
Period
19th century
This 19th-century Japanese netsuke is a finely detailed ivory carving featuring a drum adorned with a Hannya mask and various Noh theater accompaniments. The Hannya mask is depicted with long flowing hair, a section of which extends through the mask's mouth, wrapping around the body of the drum.
Behind the hair, the piece includes a partially unfolded fan decorated with a rising sun and a flying bird motif. The composition is further embellished with intricate carvings of folded, patterned clothing and lengths of rope that weave throughout the design. The netsuke measures 1.25 inches in height and is unsigned. Due to the material, this object is subject to international restrictions concerning the trade of ivory.
The carving demonstrates the high level of technical proficiency and attention to detail characteristic of Japanese miniature sculpture from this era, utilizing the natural properties of the ivory to achieve depth and texture in the hair and textile elements.
Evidence at a glance
- Linked sources
- 1
- Photograph views
- 1
- Catalogue references
- 0
Counts describe this entry’s documentation, not authenticity, rarity or completeness. Photographs may show one specimen; check each caption and licence.
Physical characteristics
- Height
- 1.25 inches
- Material
- ivory
Design
- Motif
- Hannya mask, drum, Noh accompaniments, fan with rising sun and flying bird, clothing, rope
Identification
- Source note
- Described from a single auction-house listing published on Invaluable (reproduced with Invaluable's permission). Details apply to that one example; other examples of the type may differ, and the listing is supplementary evidence, not authentication.
Catalogue references
No catalogue numbers recorded. Numbers are only published once transcribed from a verified edition of a standard catalogue — they are never inferred.