A GROUP OF SEVEN NETSUKE, A WALNUT CARVING, AND A MINIATURE SAYA (SHEATH) INROEdo period (1615-1868) to Meiji era (1868-1912), 19th centuryAll unsigned unless otherwise stated; the first netsuke a red-lacqueredmanju, carved all around with a snail amongst chestnuts, lotus, beans and other assorted ripe vegetables on a diaper pattern ground,5cm (2in) diam.; the second netsuke a red-lacqueredmanju, the front carved with peaches and bats amongst flowers and foliage,5.8cm (2¼in) long; the third netsuke a carved walnut shell with arakan blowing a conch shell, surrounded by a sinuous dragon,3.1cm (1 3/16in) high; the fourth netsuke a carved walnut shell with threekarako (Chinese boys) playing tug-of-war and oveing Daikoku at the other end, inscribed in a rectangular reserve with raisedukibori charactersAkamagaseki no ju Seigyuken Gaho, Bunka jusan-nen kito gejun (Seigyuken Gaho, living in Akamagaseki [present-day Shimonoseki], end of the twelfth month in 1816),3.3cm (1 5/16in) high; the fifth netsuke akagamibuta with a Satsuma earthenware plate and wood bowl, the plate depicting a finely dressed beauty in a garden,5.2cm (2 1/16in) diam.; the sixth netsuke a brasshiuchi (tinder lighter), inlaid with scattered blossoms,4.4cm (1¾in) long; the seventh ashibuichi manju, inlaid with two courtiers and a servant,3cm (1 3/16in) diam.; the walnut shell carving depicting blind men with a tiger and dragon,3.7cm (1 7/16in) high; the miniature single-caseinro with a gilt metal sheath, engraved with butterflies,2.2cm (7/8in) high. (9).