As part of our Japanese works of art collection we are delighted to offer this incredibly finely carved Netsuke by a leading Edo period artist Masanao of Yamada , the charming subject depicts a Rat curled up into a ball , one of his left paws scratching his Ear and the other clutching the tail that wraps around his body, his rear right limb forming the natural Himotoshi through which the cord threads , the eyes of the rodent inset in Jet black , a superb quality and mint condition example of this much prized Netsuke artists work , circa 1860 .Provenance:Private north of England collection for many decades.Notes :There are a few examples of this particular type of Netsuke recorded , with varying ages , colours and conditions , Masanao was a much copied artist during the late 19th and early 20th century, if you are looking to add this particular model to your collection then it is my opinion you will struggle to find a more perfect example .Condition report :As s...