ITSUMIN: A FINE WOOD NETSUKE OF A REPENTING ONI WITH MOKUGYO By Hokyudo Itsumin, signed Itsumin 逸民 to刀 Japan, Edo (Tokyo), mid-19th century, Edo period (1615-1868) The repenting oni seated, dressed in a tiger skin loin cloth and wearing a headdress, drumming with a mallet on the mokugyo laying in front of him, his face with a grim expression, the open mouth revealing a set of sharp fangs, and the bulging eyes inlaid in pale translucent horn with dark pupils. Note the superbly carved underside of the mokugyo which also houses the signature ITSUMIN to [carved by Itsumin]. Natural himotoshi, the well-toned wood bearing a fine, warm patina. HEIGHT 4.7 cm Condition: Very good condition, minor wear, one finger with a tiny chip to the edge. Provenance: North German private collection, assembled before 1984. Literature comparison: Compare a closely related wood netsuke of an oni beating a mokugyo by Itsumin, illustrated in Meinertzhagen, Frederick / Lazarnick, George (1986) MCI, Part A, p. 247. Auction comparison: A related wood okimono of monkeys, by Hokyudo Itsumin, was sold at Bonhams, Fine Japanese Art, 10 November 2011, London, lot 121 ( sold for 5,000 GBP ).