Ɏ RENSAI: A RARE MARINE IVORY KISERUZUTSU WITH A BASKET OF FRUITBy Ishikawa Rensai, signed Rensai 蓮齋Japan, Tokyo, Asakusa District, second half of 19th century, circa 1860s-1880sOf wari-zutsu form, the marine ivory of pure color, finely carved in shishiaibori with a neatly incised woven basket filled with loquats, eggplant, peach, pomegranate, and berries, some fruit attached on leafy stems, one open pomegranate showing the seeds is borne on a towering branch, a loquat and worm-eaten leaf are lying on the ground before the basket. The cord attachment is formed by a reishi fungus carved in high relief, surrounded by cleverly stippled shading. The base carved in shishiaibori with a Buddha’s Hand citron. The reverse incised with the signature RENSAI.LENGTH 20 cmCondition: Very good condition, minor wear, a small nick near the base.Provenance: Ex-collection Gabor Wilhelm, Paris.A wari-zutsu pipe case is slit at the sides, leaving two flexible leaves. Bamboo and wood are the usual materials, because of the need for flexibility, although occasionally stag antler is utilized. See Stratos, Milton (Spring 2016) Kiseruzutsu, the Other Sagemono. A Modest Appreciation, International Netsuke Society Journal, Vol. 36, No. 1, p. 19. A wari-zutsu pipe case carved from marine ivory is extremely rare and shows great skill from the artist.In Chinese art, the pomegranate symbolizes the wish for many children, and in particular, sons. The fruit is full of seeds, and the word for seeds in Chinese is also that for children. Together with the double-happiness symbol, pomegranates feature prominently as wedding gifts. The Chinese rebus, liu kai bai zi, translates as ‘the pomegranate brings you a hundred seeds’. The Buddha’s Hand citron, which can be interchangeable with other citrons, together with the peach and pomegranate, are known collectively as ‘The Three Abundances’ (sanduo) which express the wish for abundant blessings, long life, and many sons. It is common for Japanese artists, particularly Asakusa carvers, to borrow such symbolism from the Chinese visual vocabulary.Literature comparison: Compare a stag antler kiseruzutsu by Rensai decorated with a ho-o bird, clouds, and blossoms, illustrated in Sydney Moss Ltd. (2016) Kokusai The Genius: and Stag-antler Carving in Japan, Part 3, p, 74-75, no. 374. Compare an ivory netsuke by Rensai of a frog on a gourd, with a very similar signature, illustrated ibid., p. 40, no. 350, where the author notes that “[i]t might be that the unusual signature proposes the hand of Ishikawa Rensai II.” Compare another ivory netsuke by Rensai of a frog on a gourd, illustrated in Davey, Neil K. (1974) Netsuke: A comprehensive study based on the M.T. Hindson Collection, p. 181, no. 539, where the author notes that “[t]he carving and the signature differ from Rensai’s work in staghorn and this piece is probably by Rensai II.”This item contains ivory, rhinoceros horn, tortoise shell, and/or some types of tropical wood and is subject to CITES when exporting outside the EU. It is typically not possible to export such items outside of the EU, including to the UK. Therefore, after this item has the necessary trade certificate, it can only be shipped within the EU or picked up in our gallery in person.