YASUTADA: A RARE WOOD NETSUKE OF A SNAIL EMERGING FROM ITS SHELLBy Yasutada, signed Yasutada 安忠Japan, late 18th to early 19th century, Edo period (1615-1868)Finely carved as a snail sliding over its coiled shell, its optic feelers fully extended and touching the shell, the skin neatly incised with a scale pattern, the shell with dense, gently curved lines, the varying incision work creating an appealing contrast in textures, the recesses finely stained. The underside with a ‘natural’ himotoshi between the snail’s shell and body, which nonetheless has been rounded by the carver, the shell incised with the signature within a rectangular reserve YASUTADA – the artist is very rare with only few examples recorded. It is supposed he was a pupil of Tomotada of Kyoto.LENGTH 3.7 cmCondition: Excellent condition, appealingly worn. Provenance: Ex-collection Teddy Hahn, Darmstadt. Theodor “Teddy” Hahn was a well-known and respected collector of netsuke and other Asian works of art. After spending time in museums to study the early cultures of the world, finding particular interest in their sculptures, he began collecting, remarking, “I somehow knew it would have a profound influence on my life. How right I was. And how happy I have been.” Teddy Hahn was a passionate collector of snail netsuke, arguably building the greatest collection of snail netsuke ever assembled.Museum comparison: Compare a wood netsuke of an ox by Yasutada in the British Museum, registration number F.221.Auction comparison: Compare a wood netsuke of a rat by Yasutada at Lempertz, 11 June 2022, lot 403 (sold for 2,268 EUR).