Carved Ivory Skull and Snake Pair

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Posted by 13utterfly
16 years ago
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Description These are beautifully detailed Japanese objects remarkably similar to netsuke. The only difference is that they do not have the himotoshi (loop holes for the cord that the sagemono hung on). Although they are not signed, they are obviously done in the style of Soko (1879-1943). They have a rich patina, and are in excellent condition, with no wear marks or flaws.
Category Asian Art
Medium ivory
Distinguishing marks Soko's style of snakes and skulls
Condition Excellent
Size and dimensions of this item 1 1/8" tall and long, 3/4" wide
Date Period late 19th - early 20th century
Weight 16-17 grams
History A gift from a friend in exchange for a huge favor. Another owner said they were "very old" and "very expensive".
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Collector Discussion

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M
mindbogglz 📚 Apprentice 16 years ago

Wouldn't the himotoshi be the eye sockets? Hold up to the light to see if the sockets connect so a cord could go through. I just joined http://forums.netsuke.org/register to see if they can help with my netsukes, maybe you should. I found skull netsukes with snake from $50-150 sold on liveauctioneers but this is a specialized field so hands on is the best way to assess them.

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