Japanese walrus tusk ryusa netsuke with shikunshi and quail motif, signed So (Sokoku)
Record status
Individual type · partial
Period
second half of 19th century
This Japanese ryusa-style netsuke is carved from walrus tusk and dates to the second half of the 19th century. Originating from the Asakusa district of Tokyo, the piece is signed with the seal mark "So," attributed to the artist Sokoku, who was affiliated with Suzuki Tokoku.
The netsuke is meticulously carved in openwork featuring the "shikunshi" or "Four Gentlemen"—bamboo, plum, orchid, and chrysanthemum—intertwined with scrolling clouds. The center of the composition hosts a plaque crafted from mixed metals, depicting a detailed quail mounted on a silver plate. The reverse of the object includes a central himotoshi for attachment to a sagemono and a small square reserve bearing the artist's seal.
Measuring 3.9 cm in length, the piece integrates traditional East Asian botanical and ornithological symbolism, where the quail and chrysanthemum motif signifies longevity and peace. The silver plate under the quail is of a later date than the original carving.
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
- Length
- 3.9 cm
- Material
- walrus tusk, silver, mixed metal
Technical characteristics
- Type
- ryusa netsuke
Design
- Obverse
- shikunshi (bamboo, plum, orchid, chrysanthemum) with central quail plaque
- Reverse
- central himotoshi and square seal mark So (Sokoku)
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.
- Maker named in listing
- Sokoku (signed So)
Catalogue references
No catalogue numbers recorded. Numbers are only published once transcribed from a verified edition of a standard catalogue — they are never inferred.