GYOKUZAN: A MASTERFUL MINIATURE WOOD NETSUKE OF A BLINDMAN BEING TRAPPED BY A CLAMBy Gyokuzan, signed Gyokuzan 玉山Japan, Edo (Tokyo), mid-19th century, Edo period (1615-1868)Published: Eskenazi (1997) Japanese Netsuke, Ojime and Inro from the Dawson Collection, pp. 30-31, no. 41.Exquisitely carved, the blindman with a distinct bump on his head, one eye closed and one eye opened, the tiny pupil minutely inlaid in dark horn, clambering over a giant clam and struggling with all his might to pull his fundoshi from the jaws of the bivalve. The subject references, quite humorously, a parody of the seduction of feminine wiles, the clam representing the female here. The expression of the man is masterfully crafted with incredible detail, which holds up even to extreme magnification. The well-toned wood bearing a good patina. The underside with florally rimmed himotoshi and signature GYOKUZAN and kakihan.HEIGHT 2.9 cm, LENGTH 2.7 cmCondition: Excellent condition.Provenance: Ex-collection Irene Segeler, Zurich, acquired from Eskenazi Ltd., London, in 1997. Irene Segeler specialized in collecting tiny children’s netsuke, acquiring over 80 examples, which is quite remarkable as they are exceptionally rare. A few pieces from her collection are illustrated in Children’s Netsuke (2001), The International Netsuke Society Journal (INSJ), vol. 21, no. 2, pp. 26-30.