SHUGETSU: AN EXCELLENT WOOD NETSUKE OF AN EGG TESTER By Hara Shugetsu I, signed Shugetsu Japan, Edo, late 18th century, Edo period (1615-1868) Exhibited: State Hermitage Museum, St. Petersburg, Netsuke, Japanese Miniature Sculptures from Private Collections, July - October 2016, no. 136. An amusing netsuke of a pot-bellied man, bare-chested, dressed in a loincloth and wearing boots. One hand is placed at his side and the other holds up a smoothly polished ivory egg, his facial features finely carved as he concentrates on inspecting the quality of the egg. His hair forms crisply carved curls and the himotoshi in the back are large and generous, exactly as they should be. Signed Shugetsu 舟月. HEIGHT 7.5 cm Condition: Good condition, minor wear, fine patina. A tiny chip to the inside of left foot. Provenance: Ex Michael Tomkinson collection, sold at Drouot/Piasa in 1999, lot 425 (sold for 38.000 French Francs), reported in INSJ 1999, volume 19, no. 3, page 56. Auction comparison: Compare to a similar netsuke by Shugetsu sold by Bonhams, Netsuke from a European Collection, 8 May 2016, London, lot 108.