GYOKUMIN: A FINE AND RARE NAGOYA SCHOOL WOOD NETSUKE OF RAIJIN CUTTING A CUCUMBERBy Gyokumin, signed Gyokumin 玉珉 and kakihanJapan, Nagoya, late 18th to early 19th century, Edo period (1615-1868)Published: Meinertzhagen, Frederick / Lazarnick, George (1986) MCI, Part A, p. 97 (unillustrated).A remarkably bold and compact netsuke, the darkened wood bearing a superb, unctuous patina, the thunder god Raijin seated before his taiko drum, one leg folded underneath, the other supporting the drum, and cutting a cucumber issuing a cloud-like vine. Raijin, dressed only in a tiger skin loincloth, is depicted in a typical manner with two horns, pronounced musculature, and long finely carved hair terminating in curls on his back. The eyes are inlaid in dark horn and the studs on the drum are inlaid in pale horn. The underside with generously excavated himotoshi and signature within an oval reserve GYOKUMIN and kakihan.HEIGHT 4 cmCondition: Very good condition, the surface beautifully worn. No notable damages. Provenance: Formerly collection Henri T. Reiss, sold at Glendinning & Co., February 1918, London, lot 200 (part lot).The subject is highly unusual, the thunder god here engaging in the business of a kappa. Fuld's Netsuke and Ojime Index lists only one other netsuke depicting this subject, which is by the Asakusa artist Eisai, sold at Sotheby’s in 1980.