Ojime, ivory. Japan, 19th cent.

Indeed a particularly noteworthy miniature carving (see length!), intricately worked, spirited and amusing. The notorious blowfish fugu has big eyes and its mouth seems to be gaping in pain. It is black, the squid ika – which attacks it – is white, the eyes inlaid black. On fugu´s white belly is the very finely carved signature SESSAI 雪 齋 (Setsu-sai) in abbreviated form. Sessai was a famous artist, who lived in Echizen until 1879.
LENGTH 23 MM
From a German collection