Early 19c shunga netsuke CRABS & CLAMS in basket

Description

Early 19th century netsuke of two crabs crawling about a woven basket containing hamaguri (clams) with more shells thrown around it. Subtle elegant piece in Japanese taste of implied shunga character - clam shells customarily carry erotic connotations, and crabs seem to be aware of it. Beautifully carved, excellent detailing (see the legs and pincers of the crabs as well as clam and woven basket textures), great patina turning darker yellow on the bottom. Length 1 1/4 inches.

Reserve: $495.00

Shipping:

Domestic: Flat-rate of $20.00 to anywhere within the contiguous U.S.

International: Foreign shipping rates are determined by destination. International shipping may be subject to VAT.

Combined shipping: Please ask about combined shipping for multiple lots before bidding.

Location: This item ships from Massachusetts

Your purchase is protected:
In the rare event that the item did not conform to the lot description in the sale, Chairish Auctions specialists are here to help. Buyers may return the item for a full refund provided you notify Chairish Auctions within 5 days of receiving the item.

Buyer's Premium

20%

Early 19c shunga netsuke CRABS & CLAMS in basket

Lot 0190

Estimate $600-$700

3hr 10min 36sec

Starting Price

Secure

$380

LiveAuctioneers Purchase Protection

Vetted auction houses

Secure, online bidding

Returns guaranteed for misrepresented listings

Dedicated support when you need it

Asian Antiques: Scrolls, Weaponry and More!

Jun 05, 2026 12:00 PM EDT

New York, NY, United States

18c netsuke SENNIN IZENSHUN WITH DOG: 18th century netsuke of an emaciated sennin seated on a base wearing a tattered robe and a leaf cape and holding a staff with a bundle of his possessions tied to its top, and with a dog

18c netsuke SENNIN IZENSHUN WITH DOG

19c Chinese bronze plaque PHOENIX in flight: 19th century Chinese bronze fan shaped plaque with low relief depiction of a phoenix in flight over a latticed garden fence with pine clusters above and pomegranate bushes on rocks below. Very nice

19c Chinese bronze plaque PHOENIX in flight

Vintage Japanese BURLWOOD STAND tea ceremony display: Vintage Japanese burlwood stand of irregular shape to be used for placing objects during tea ceremony, or for display of ceramics or okimono. Wonderful dense wood with supremely beautiful texture

Vintage Japanese BURLWOOD STAND tea ceremony display

19c netsuke MASK SHISHIGUCHI by RYUUN: 19th century Japanese small lacquered wood netsuke representing a theatrical mask of Shishiguchi representing the spirit of shishi with characteristic tusks, most frequently used for the Noh play

19c netsuke MASK SHISHIGUCHI by RYUUN

19c Chinese Peking glass & jadeite BUDDHIST ROSARY mala: Late 19th - early 20th century Tibetan mala - Buddhist rosary consisting of 108 faceted Peking glass beads and 4 jadeite ones that serve as spacers dividing the prayer beads into groups of 27 each.

19c Chinese Peking glass & jadeite BUDDHIST ROSARY mala

19c Chinese bronze plaque DRAGON in flight: 19th century Chinese bronze f plaque with low relief depiction of a dragon in flight over among swirling clouds above cresting waves, as it exhales its fiery breath towards a monster fish. Very nice

19c Chinese bronze plaque DRAGON in flight

Early 19c staghorn netsuke VARIOUS SEASHELLS: Early 19th century staghorn netsuke of a a group of seashells, including a clam, an abalone and a turrid. Good design utilizing natural properties of the material, nicely carved, superb wear and

Early 19c staghorn netsuke VARIOUS SEASHELLS

19c Japanese ASAKUSA KISERUZUTSU Japanese pipe case IKEBANA: 19th century Japanese Asakusa school staghorn kiseruzutsu - tobacco pipe case - of elegant simple shape with medium relief carving of a jar containg an ikebana arrangement with lotus leaf and 2

19c Japanese ASAKUSA KISERUZUTSU Japanese pipe case IKEBANA

19c Indian bronze goat headed DAKSHA father of Sati: 19th century Indian bronze devotional sculpture of Daksha with a head of a goat and his hands in the anjali mudra. Daksha was the father of Sati, the wife of the Lord Shiva. Shiva have not been

19c Indian bronze goat headed DAKSHA father of Sati

1910s tea ceremony BIZEN CHAIRE marked: Late Meiji - early Taisho (1910s) Japanese pottery Bizen ware chaire (tea caddy for storing powdered green tea used in tea ceremony). Wonderful potting, buff color clay with beautiful orange streaks,

1910s tea ceremony BIZEN CHAIRE marked

Early 19c netsuke KENDO HELMET breastplate, seashells: Early 19th century netsuke carved as a Japanese martial arts MEN (kendo helmet) resting on a DŌ (breast protector) surrounded by a pile of seashells. Unique subject, a bit of a zen puzzle waiting

Early 19c netsuke KENDO HELMET breastplate, seashells

19c staghorn netsuke Chokwaro Sennin HORSE with gourd: Rather unusual decent size 19th century staghorn netsuke of a horse appearing from a dried gourd that has a rope tied around its waist. According to a Japanese legend Chokwaro sennin (Chinese sage) co

19c staghorn netsuke Chokwaro Sennin HORSE with gourd

19c Japanese sword FUCHI playful shishi: 18th to early 19th century Japanese sword fuchi (bordering piece between the sword guard and the handle) with gilded relief design of playful shishi (Buddhist lion), all on finely punched ground

19c Japanese sword FUCHI playful shishi

18c netsuke SENNIN with BOY & trumpet 91mm: Good size 18th century netsuke of a standing sennin (Chinese sage) in a long robe and a leaf cape, carrying on his shoulder a Chinese boy who plays a short trumpet. The netsuke is probably a joke on

18c netsuke SENNIN with BOY & trumpet 91mm

19c Japanese NYOI Buddhist scepter: Unusual 1890s - 1910s (late Meiji - early Taisho) Japanese lacquered wood nyoi - a Buddhist scepter - made out of a natural branch or root, its stem twisted back with 3 branches forming the head of

19c Japanese NYOI Buddhist scepter

19c Japanese MAE-KANAGU pouch clasp SUMO WRESTLER DOLLS: 19th century Japanese bronze mae-kanagu (tobacco pouch clasp fitting) in a form of two sumo wrestler dolls and a fan used by the judge in sumo matches and decorated with sun, moon and a

19c Japanese MAE-KANAGU pouch clasp SUMO WRESTLER DOLLS

18c netsuke HORSE out of Chokwaro Sennin’s gourd: 18th century netsuke of the magic horse appearing from a dried gourd. According to a Japanese legend the gourd belonged to Chokwaro sennin (Chinese sage) who could summon the magic horse out of it to

18c netsuke HORSE out of Chokwaro Sennin’s gourd

19c netsuke SEAL FUNGUS GOURD by GYOKUHO: 19th century netsuke of carved as a cluster of 3 branches of natural fungus, seal with deer finial and double gourd with stopper and its lower end containing carved village scene. Excellent and

19c netsuke SEAL FUNGUS GOURD by GYOKUHO

19c netsuke BAMBOO by RYUSHO: 19th century netsuke carved in a shape of a bamboo section. Very simple elegant design in Japanese taste with clean lines, himotoshi is formed by central peg that has a hole in its back part through

19c netsuke BAMBOO by RYUSHO

19c Japanese tea ceremony CHAIRE tea caddy Bizen: 19th century Japanese chaire (tea caddy for storing powdered green tea used in tea ceremony) in a shape of a storage jar with narrow waist and wider shoulders, and 2 mock ring handles. Old Bizen ware

19c Japanese tea ceremony CHAIRE tea caddy Bizen

Related Items

JAPANESE PEONY BASKET ATTR CHIKUYUSAI, ADAIR COLLECTION: The extraordinary example of multiple elaborate and complex weaves, techniques and adornments is woven in a dense, shimmering horizontal twill weave. The body is accented by bold exterior architectura

Jun 27, 2026JAPANESE PEONY BASKET ATTR CHIKUYUSAI, ADAIR COLLECTION

TANABE CHIKUUNSAI ROOT HANDLE BASKET, ADAIR ESTATE: The outstanding example of high-shouldered ovoid form is woven using a dense plain square weave overlaid with thick, vertical reinforcing to a body that tapers toward the recessed corded foot. The ver

Jun 27, 2026TANABE CHIKUUNSAI ROOT HANDLE BASKET, ADAIR ESTATE

Simbai River War Shield, Papua New Guinea, Estate of Edward Albee, 43'' x 24'': Simbai River War Shield, Papua New Guinea. Heavy dense wood, with raised areas of cross-hatching surrounded by white pigment, signs of age, use and wear. Size: 43'' x 24'' x .5'' (109 x 61 x 1 cm). Se

Jun 30, 2026Simbai River War Shield, Papua New Guinea, Estate of Edward Albee, 43'' x 24''

PAPUAN ELEMA ARCHER'S ARMBAND: Ca. early 20th century AD. >An armband composed of a Conus shell, of the type traditionally worn by men as a status symbol. The shell material was used as currency in the region, associating the ornam

Jun 19, 2026PAPUAN ELEMA ARCHER'S ARMBAND

Taino Cohoba Inhaler Transitional Zoomorphic Human: Taino Inhaler. Type Two transitional human to zoomorphic, see Taino Hallucinogenic Implements Roberts (pgs. 66 and 67). The inhaler or snuffer was used to snuff hallucinogenic compounds like cohoba an

Jun 24, 2026Taino Cohoba Inhaler Transitional Zoomorphic Human

A Chinese Yixin Teapot Artist: Lu Wen Xia (b. 1966, China): Literature comparison: Compare a stoneware teapot in the form of a rice bag by the same artist, dated 1990, in the Metropolitan Museum of Art, accession number 2001.724.2a,b. Auction result comparison

3 days LeftA Chinese Yixin Teapot Artist: Lu Wen Xia (b. 1966, China)

Early 19c netsuke KENDO HELMET breastplate, seashells: Early 19th century netsuke carved as a Japanese martial arts MEN (kendo helmet) resting on a DŌ (breast protector) surrounded by a pile of seashells. Unique subject, a bit of a zen puzzle waiting

Early 19c netsuke KENDO HELMET breastplate, seashells

Taino Large Turtle Bowl with Snake Surrounding Rim: Taino Large Turtle Bowl with Snake Surrounding the Rim. Such receptacles were likely used to contain a hallucinogen like cohoba. The two figures, the turtle and the snake, could relate to the two Tain

Jun 24, 2026Taino Large Turtle Bowl with Snake Surrounding Rim

A Chinese Huanghuali Wood Lotus Leaf Brush Washer with Crab Motif: A Chinese Huanghuali Wood Lotus Leaf Brush Washer with Crab Motif This finely carved brush washer, measuring 19.5 cm in length and 11.5 cm in width, is crafted from richly grained huanghuali wood. The

4 days LeftA Chinese Huanghuali Wood Lotus Leaf Brush Washer with Crab Motif

A GRAY AND BLACK JADE FIGURE OF A RECUMBENT CAMEL, MING DYNASTY OR EALIER: A GRAY AND BLACK JADE FIGURE OF A RECUMBENT CAMEL, MING DYNASTY OR EALIER China, 1368-1644 or earlier. The Bactrian camel shown with its legs tucked under powerful haunches and facing forward, the hum

Jun 30, 2026A GRAY AND BLACK JADE FIGURE OF A RECUMBENT CAMEL, MING DYNASTY OR EALIER

19c staghorn netsuke Chokwaro Sennin HORSE with gourd: Rather unusual decent size 19th century staghorn netsuke of a horse appearing from a dried gourd that has a rope tied around its waist. According to a Japanese legend Chokwaro sennin (Chinese sage) co

19c staghorn netsuke Chokwaro Sennin HORSE with gourd

Alaskan Inuit Eskimo Walrus Ivory Bracelet: 7" internal circumference. This item cannot be shipped to Oregon, California, Hawaii, New York, New Jersey, Internationally, or any other state that prohibits.

1 day LeftAlaskan Inuit Eskimo Walrus Ivory Bracelet

TOP