Flounder & Kappa Skull

Flounder & Kappa Skull Netsuke
Flounder & Kappa Skull Netsuke
Flounder & Kappa Skull Netsuke
Flounder & Kappa Skull Netsuke
Flounder & Kappa Skull Netsuke

Properties:

2011-2012

Type: Netsuke

Sold. Russia, private collection.

Materials: Mammoth tusk. Amber and mother-of-pearl inlay.

Dimensions: 47×35×21 mm.

Weight: 18.4 g.

Images:            

I only have a flounder
Caught in my fishing net.
But somewhat round lies below.
Why, it's a skull of Kappa!

Sometimes our attention is riveted by habitual things and we take no heed of something unusual that lies below. This netsuke wishes its owner to find rare and uncommon things in his life.

The netsuke is carved out of a mammoth's tusk and is painted with yasha. For the flounder's structure ukibori is used. This is a very complicated and labour-intensive process of carving bones. The fish's eyes are encrusted with black oyster nacre and Baltic amber. The flounder's tail is signed.