Steve Sly Japanese Works of Art has dated this piece to the 1890s.
The two work together as a team to catch fish by the seashore. In order to do this, the long-armed man, tenaga, climbs onto the back of the long-legged man, ashinaga. The ashinaga then wades out into the shorewaters, staying above water with his long legs, while the tenaga uses his long arms to grab fish from his partner's back, a great fun okimono that has been carved by a highly skilled artist called Eishin , it is not often we see this subject as an ivory okimono and certainly not of this one piece quality, signed Eishin in a red seal to the underside.
The condition is lovely throughout !
Approximate sizes
Height 6.75" 17 cm
Width 2 3/8" 6 cm
Depth 2" 5 cm
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Steve Sly Japanese Works of Art has dated this piece to the 1890s.
Specialists in japanese works of art from the meiji period 1868-1912
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An Unusual Japanese Ivory Okimono of Ashinaga and Tenaga
