RYUGETSU, Meiji Japanese Netsuke: Sumo Wrestler
Netsuke
$975
- Material
- Ivory (more than 100 years old)
- Color
- multi-color
- Origin
- Japan
- Age / Period
- Late 19th Century
- Dimensions
- 2.07" tall, 1.25" wide
- Condition
- Excellent
This is a very fine Japanese Netsuke hand-carved during the Meiji Period of Japan by Ruygetsu. It depicts a Sumo Wrestler, who is wearing the typical Mawashi with a heavy twisted rope, which is bound in the back in the typical ‘unryu’ knot. Intricate and true to form detail have been carved in this remarkable miniature sculpture. The artist has accented the figure with different shades of brown stain, and polished the natural color of the material to produce the white checkering of the mawashi . The loops on the rope are used as natural himotoshi. Signed Ryugetsu inside the mawashi. Netsuke measures 1.25 inches (3.2cm) wide and 2.07 inches (5.3cm) tall. PROVENANCE: Kunsthandel Klefisch was a prominent art gallery and auction house based in Cologne, Germany, specializing in East Asian art—including Chinese, Japanese, and Korean ceramics, sculptures, netsuke, inro, and Japanese woodblock prints. Run notably by expert and auctioneer Trudel Klefisch, the house held numerous specialized auctions over several decades
Ivory — please confirm before purchasing
This piece is offered as a genuine antique, over 100 years old, accompanied by documentation supporting its age. Ivory sales are legal under federal law only for items meeting this antique exemption, and several states — including California, New York, New Jersey, Hawaii, Oregon, and Washington — further restrict or prohibit ivory sales regardless of age. It is the buyer's responsibility to confirm that purchasing and receiving this item is legal in their own state before buying.