HAKUYOSAI KOGYOKU: A VERY RARE IVORY NETSUKE OF A SHISHI CENSER By Hakuyosai Kogyoku, signed with a kakihan Japan, Asakusa, Tokyo, mid to late 19th century Published: Bulletin Franco Japonais, no. 30, October 1990. An ivory two-part manju-shaped netsuke, genius in its originality and design, in the shape of a shishi-headed censer. The removable head, which houses the cord-attachment, shows finely carved curls, floppy ears and a yearning expression, directed upwards, with spiraling eyes and an opened mouth through which the smoke would escape. The head fits perfectly into the superbly polished ivory bowl, which is further decorated with a cross-etched pattern. The underside shows a pleasing structure in imitation of bamboo! A kakihan belonging to Hakuyosai Kogyoku is carved onto an inlaid silver plaque next to the central himotoshi. HEIGHT 2.7 cm, DIAMETER 3.7 cm Condition: Excellent condition. Provenance: Formerly collection Nelly Davies, then French private collection. The erroneous attribution to Rensai in the Bulletin Franco Japonais is understandable as the spiraling eyes and curls, choice and treatment of material and cross-etched ‘Asakusa’ pattern are very much in the manner of the artist. The characteristic kakihan is however that of Hakuyosai Kogyoku (Lazarnick, page 638), a rare artist who made mostly manju. Interestingly, one netsuke signed Hakuyosai is found in Sydney Moss Ltd. (2016) Kokusai The Genius: and Stag-antler Carving in Japan,Part 3, pp. 176f., no. 443.