A very fine ebony bokuto, captured at the first moment of decay, with the remnant of the vine from which it once hung still intact, and two tiny snails moving among its foliage. The feel is exquisite: the beans within the pod are carved in high relief, yet the finish has been brought to such a pitch that all evidence of the means by which this was achieved has been polished away. Small passages are carved to suggest decay, particularly around the apertures for the cord attachments.
Kaigyokusai, who also carved this subject in netsuke form, could scarcely have achieved a better result; indeed, he is the artist I would propose as a candidate for its making.
30.8cm Long.
Private collection, EU.
