SIX CARVED NETSUKE, JAPAN: THE MONK HOTEI, IVORY, HORN, MOTHER OF PEARL AND SOFT METAL, TOKYO SCHOOL, 19TH C, 2.9 X 3.4 X 2.4 CM; DUTCHMAN ROLLING A CHEESE, EBONY, 18TH C, 4.4 X 4.6 X 3 CM; MASK, HORNBILL, MEIJI PERIOD C.1850, 5.3 X 4.7 X 2.2 CM; TRICK MECHANISM RICE STOOK, BOXWOOD AND IVORY, 19TH C, 3.6 X 3.7 X 3.1 CM; THE HYBRID CREATURE BAKU, UNIDENTIFIED WOOD AND LACQUER (CINNABAR), 19TH C, 2.7 X 3.7 X 2.9 CM; AND THREE TORTOISES, BOXWOOD AND HORN, C.1870, 3.8 X 3.9 X 3.4 CM. COLLECTION TASMANIAN MUSEUM AND ART GALLERY, GIFT OF JANET GALE 2007 - TAASA Review December 2011

SIX CARVED NETSUKE, JAPAN: THE MONK HOTEI, IVORY, HORN, MOTHER OF PEARL AND SOFT METAL, TOKYO SCHOOL, 19TH C, 2.9 X 3.4 X 2.4 CM; DUTCHMAN ROLLING A CHEESE, EBONY, 18TH C, 4.4 X 4.6 X 3 CM; MASK, HORNBILL, MEIJI PERIOD C.1850, 5.3 X 4.7 X 2.2 CM; TRICK MECHANISM RICE STOOK, BOXWOOD AND IVORY, 19TH C, 3.6 X 3.7 X 3.1 CM; THE HYBRID CREATURE BAKU, UNIDENTIFIED WOOD AND LACQUER (CINNABAR), 19TH C, 2.7 X 3.7 X 2.9 CM; AND THREE TORTOISES, BOXWOOD AND HORN, C.1870, 3.8 X 3.9 X 3.4 CM. COLLECTION TASMANIAN MUSEUM AND ART GALLERY, GIFT OF JANET GALE 2007 – TAASA Review December 2011

This article was originally found in the December 2011 edition of TAASA Review (Volume 20, Issue 4, Page 59).

The full article is available for free to TAASA Members.

Beautifully carved in ivory, the animated figure of the monk Hotei has various mon (crests) on his robe skilfully rendered in other materials.

The Dutchman, one of the earliest pieces, represents the genre of comic representations of `foreigners’.

The mask (probably an oni or demon) is carved from rare hornbill, with the red-tinted material exploited to add theatrical drama...