Antique Japanese Stag Antler Netsuke
Karako
Listening to Seashell
Sigature: unsigned, Circa: early 19th Century
H 1.25in.(3cm), W 1.25in.(3cm), D .75in.(2cm)
Condition: Very Good, pigment loss

A karako--a Chinese boy carved from a section of stag antler, rich coloration of cream to gold with red tones and age patina, glossy burnished finish. Very well carved karako, depicted seated wearing a simple robe gathered in a bow beneath the haragake bib. Fine engraving for the features, with a lively expression and natural posture. Himotoshi on the back, two equally sized holes.

The Chinese boy in Japanese art appears in works from the 17th Century on in ceramics, painting, printmaking and sculpture. It was a popular subject of gosho-ningyo, Japanese doll making, early in the Edo period. Gosho-ningyô dolls depict young boys between three and five years old, their heads large and round, their facial features usually small, and their bodies corpulent and healthy, doing what children do - playing. Since among the sculptors of the dolls were famous busshi of Edo, it is certain that trends and motifs were cross-fertilized among the various artists and craftsmen, including netsukeshi, during this unprecedented productive period. One type of doll, the saga-ningyo, or Buddhist doll, is often seen holding attributes of Buddhist practice, as does this karako, seen with one hand on the tortoise, a symbol of strength and long life, the other holding a shell to his ear.