Porcelain Anabori Netsuke, Hirado ware
Shrine in Clamshell
Type: Anabori (Hollowed) Netsuke
Material:
Age:
Origin/Maker: Hirado ware,
Size:
Weight:
Provenance: Rubylane, Austin, TX. Previously from "Sagemonoya" (Netsuke store in Tokyo, Japan; netsuke.com), and published below.
Published: "Pot of Beauty Netsuke", NHK "Bi no Tsubo" Seisakuhan. (https://www.amazon.com/Pot-beauty-NHK-Netsuke/dp/4140811390/ref=sr_1_1?dchild=1&keywords=Pot+of+Beauty+Netsuke&qid=1611478314&sr=8-1). Published as "Shrine in Clam, Hirado 19th century". Note that when it was published it did not have the damage to the torii. But otherwise the painting on top of the clam matches up exactly, showing that it is the same netsuke and was damaged later.
Collected: 1 MAY 2016
Condition: Part of the torii gate is broken.
Subject:
The beautiful Hirado porcelain netsuke is hand molded and carved into a clam shell with a temple inside. The outside of this "anabori" netsuke is painted with posts of a pier and seagrass as one would find along the beach. Inside of this netsuke is delicate carvings of people in a shrine. The gateway on the outside of the clam represents the entrance to the shrine. Waves are molded across the front in the porcelain and underneath the gate. All in all, representing a shrine on the beach, or perhaps one I have seen in a famous picture in the water. In ancient China, it was thought that the exhalations of clams caused mirages on the ocean. This is a very rare Hirado netsuke. Hirado porcelain netsuke in general is very rare to come across on the open market.
This type of netsuke is called an "anabori" netsuke meaning "hollowed netsuke" , This is a subset of katabori which are carved out for a hollow center. Clams are most commonly used for these, and elaborate scenes may comprise the interior. These scenes are hard for an amateur like me to photograph, and best viewed with a loupe. The himotoshi are large and indicative of most older netsuke. Himotoshi are the holes, usually on the back, that the cord runs through. This is then used to attach to the Inro, and ojime comprising the sagemono to place on one's clothes. One can see the wear on the hole (himotoshi) where it was worn. On the left, a small piece to the shrine gate is missing. Other than that, it is in very good antique condition. It does have wear to the expected himotoshi and age wear on the bottom. We have not tried to clean this area.
The last picture is a page from a book called "Pot of Beauty Netsuke", (NHK); by Crew. The book is entirely in Japanese except the pictures each have the title in English. The name of this netsuke as described in this book is "Shrine in Clam, Hirado 19th century". (Bottom left of page). The description further tells us this picture is courtesy of a well know netsuke store in Japan called "Sagemonoya". Other than that I do not know what it says.
SIZE Incjes: Left back: 2" Right Back: 1.5" Front L/R: 3.5". Depth front: 1" Depth Back: 1 3/8"
More information can be found on the Netsuke International website about porcelain and all other netsuke. They are a very good resource, although the viewpoints of the members who lead the discussion forums do not necessarily always reflect the same as mine. See our favorites links on our home page. Another great reference book on porcelain netsuke is "Adornment in Clay", by Laura Mueller.
Location:
Material:
Age:
Origin/Maker: Hirado ware,
Size:
Weight:
Provenance: Rubylane, Austin, TX. Previously from "Sagemonoya" (Netsuke store in Tokyo, Japan; netsuke.com), and published below.
Published: "Pot of Beauty Netsuke", NHK "Bi no Tsubo" Seisakuhan. (https://www.amazon.com/Pot-beauty-NHK-Netsuke/dp/4140811390/ref=sr_1_1?dchild=1&keywords=Pot+of+Beauty+Netsuke&qid=1611478314&sr=8-1). Published as "Shrine in Clam, Hirado 19th century". Note that when it was published it did not have the damage to the torii. But otherwise the painting on top of the clam matches up exactly, showing that it is the same netsuke and was damaged later.
Collected: 1 MAY 2016
Condition: Part of the torii gate is broken.
Subject:
The beautiful Hirado porcelain netsuke is hand molded and carved into a clam shell with a temple inside. The outside of this "anabori" netsuke is painted with posts of a pier and seagrass as one would find along the beach. Inside of this netsuke is delicate carvings of people in a shrine. The gateway on the outside of the clam represents the entrance to the shrine. Waves are molded across the front in the porcelain and underneath the gate. All in all, representing a shrine on the beach, or perhaps one I have seen in a famous picture in the water. In ancient China, it was thought that the exhalations of clams caused mirages on the ocean. This is a very rare Hirado netsuke. Hirado porcelain netsuke in general is very rare to come across on the open market.
This type of netsuke is called an "anabori" netsuke meaning "hollowed netsuke" , This is a subset of katabori which are carved out for a hollow center. Clams are most commonly used for these, and elaborate scenes may comprise the interior. These scenes are hard for an amateur like me to photograph, and best viewed with a loupe. The himotoshi are large and indicative of most older netsuke. Himotoshi are the holes, usually on the back, that the cord runs through. This is then used to attach to the Inro, and ojime comprising the sagemono to place on one's clothes. One can see the wear on the hole (himotoshi) where it was worn. On the left, a small piece to the shrine gate is missing. Other than that, it is in very good antique condition. It does have wear to the expected himotoshi and age wear on the bottom. We have not tried to clean this area.
The last picture is a page from a book called "Pot of Beauty Netsuke", (NHK); by Crew. The book is entirely in Japanese except the pictures each have the title in English. The name of this netsuke as described in this book is "Shrine in Clam, Hirado 19th century". (Bottom left of page). The description further tells us this picture is courtesy of a well know netsuke store in Japan called "Sagemonoya". Other than that I do not know what it says.
SIZE Incjes: Left back: 2" Right Back: 1.5" Front L/R: 3.5". Depth front: 1" Depth Back: 1 3/8"
More information can be found on the Netsuke International website about porcelain and all other netsuke. They are a very good resource, although the viewpoints of the members who lead the discussion forums do not necessarily always reflect the same as mine. See our favorites links on our home page. Another great reference book on porcelain netsuke is "Adornment in Clay", by Laura Mueller.
Location:
