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      9. WILD BOAR. Ivory. Signed: Kangyoku. Date: 1960-70. The boar, one of the twelve zodiac animals, is regarded in the Orient as a symbol of utmost courage, strength, speed, and ferocity. With no thought of self-protection, it hurls itself straight at its enemy. The hollow log through which Kangyoku's boar is charging seems to have a double purpose. It preserves the functional and tactile qualities of this uniquely designed netsuke. It also serves as a reminder that a tree may be the safest haven for a hunter when charged by a wild boar. (Enlargement: 1.5 times)

      10. MANDARIN DUCK. Ivory. Signed: Sosui. Date: 1940-60. The mandarin duck (oshi-dori) symbolizes connubial devotion and is a favorite subject among Oriental artists, including netsuke carvers. The gentle, peaceful character of the bird supports an ancient legend that the Buddha was once reincarnated in the form of a mandarin duck in order to teach mankind its spiritual virtues. Sosui's abstract concept of this subject is simple and quiet, and the wings suggest the fan shape of the gingko leaf. (Enlargement: 1.5 times)

      11. RABBIT. Ivory. Signed: Kangyoku. Date: 1970. The fourth sign of the Oriental, zodiac, the rabbit, is frequently found as the subject of netsuke. One of the best examples is this somewhat stylized design of Kangyoku's, which he calls his “jewel" rabbit. (Enlargement: 1.6 times)

      12. COCK. Ivory. Signed: shinryo. Date: 1965-70. Shinryo's highly stylized, almost abstract treatment of the cock is noteworthy in its tactile quality as well as its design. The cock, or rooster, is the tenth sign of the Oriental zodiac, and for that and many other reasons it is an important art symbol in Japan. Fortunetellers say that persons born in the year of the cock are generally intelligent and kind by nature. Their other qualities include protective faithfulness, courage, and prosperity. (Enlargement: 1.4 times)

      13. ALIGHTING SWAN. Ivory. Signed: Bishu. Date: 1971. Bishu's alighting swan is one of the most beautiful and imaginative netsuke ever carved. With great skill and originality, the artist has captured the elegant grace of the swan's fleeting motion as it touches the water. (Enlargement: 2.3 times)

      14. SQUIRRELS. Ivory. Signed: Kangyoku. Date: 1971. During a discussion of our mutual love of household pets and wildlife, Kangyoku was shown a photograph of pampered squirrels at play on the patio of our California home. At our next meeting, some six months later, Kangyoku proudly displayed this superb squirrel netsuke. (Enlargement: 1.8 times)

      15. PUPPY CHEWING ON A STRAW SANDAL. Ivory. Signed: Kangyoku. Date: 1972. This netsuke of Kangyoku's is a vivid portrayal of canine mischief. It is shown in its various stages of carving in Chapter 6, Figs. 130(a)-(p). (Enlargement: 1.7 times)

      16. ROPE RABBIT. Ivory. Signed: Bai-shodo (see biography of Bishu, p. 214). Date: 1968-71. This is a unique design. The abstract form of a rabbit has been achieved by coils of rope. Adding further interest is a rat, which has built its nest in the rope and appears and disappears at an opening in the rabbit's ear. Trick netsuke of this type have been common for centuries, but this particular design, involving two of the zodiac animals, has special charm and interest. (Enlargement: 1.5 times)

      17. CICADA ON BAMBOO. Ivory. Signed: Senpo. Date: 1971. The fragile beauty of the cicada has always fascinated the Japanese, and its mystique has been beautifully captured by Senpo in his portrayal of the insect at rest on a bamboo stem. The cicada in Oriental legend was a symbol of immortality, and a jade cicada was always placed on the tongue of a deceased Chinese emperor when he was buried. Here Senpo has succeeded remarkably well in simulating the shiny, smooth texture of bamboo. (Enlargement: 1.3 times)

      18. RAM. Wood. Signed: Shinzan. Date: 1960-70. Although the sheep (or goat) is one of the twelve animals of the Oriental zodiac, sheep were unknown in Japan until they were introduced by the Europeans. For this reason, rams, as they are portrayed in netsuke art, are often indistinguishable from goats. Shinzan's carving of this subject displays his characteristic sensitivity. (Enlargement:1.5 times)

      19. BLOWFISH (FUGU). Ivory. Signed: Ryoshu. Date: 1971. One of the delicacies that most delight the Japanese palate is the raw flesh of the blowfish, or globefish (fugu), which is served in tiny paper-thin slices, often beautifully arranged in the pattern of a chrysanthemum or a crane. But if improperly prepared, the fugu is highly toxic. Ryoshu's netsuke is an interesting, stylized portrayal of this subject. (Enlargement: 1.5 times)

      20. GROW. Ebony. Signed: Sosui. Date: 1950-60. The crow is relatively rare as a netsuke subject, and this highly stylized version of Sosui, s, fashioned as a whistle, is quite reminiscent of some of the decorative art of the Alaskan Indians. According to some Japanese, the crow is a symbol of filial piety. It also makes its appearance in folktales and legends of the supernatural, sometimes auspiciously and sometimes ominously. (Enlargement: 1.6 times)

      21. FROG. Ivory. Unsigned: carved by Clifton Karhu. Date: 1970. This amiable frog successfully reflects a glint of worldly wisdom and inscrutable inner contentment that are somewhat reminiscent of the twelfth-century Choju Giga Emaki, or Scroll of Frolicking Animals. Clifton Karhu is an American in Kyoto whose manifold talents have centered primarily on woodblock prints. This frog is one of his earliest and most successful excursions into the field of netsuke carving. There is no expectation that Karhu will concentrate in this field, but his avocational experiments may well lead to further achievement. (Enlargement: 2.2 times)

      22. MOTHER AND BABY MONKEY AND A PEACH. Wood. Signed: Soko Morita (Somi). Date: 1920-30. Courtesy of Virginia Atchley. The monkey is the ninth sign of the Oriental zodiac and, according to Taoist legend, is the bearer of the sacred peach of immortality. Here the mother monkey is eating a peach, and the baby is trying to get it away from her. Soko's talents were at their zenith when he designed and carved this netsuke. (Enlargement: 2.1 times)

      23. HORSE. Ivory with inlaid eyes. Signed: Kangyoku. Date: 1972. Horses have very sensitive stomachs and more often die of colic than of any other disease. When in pain, a horse often tries to bite its hind quarters or its tail, assuming the unnatural position here portrayed by Kangyoku. The flattened ears, bared teeth, bulging eyes, and contorted body in this skillfully carved netsuke clearly depict a suffering horse. Like most of Kangyoku's netsuke, this one combines contemporary design with the functional form and tactile qualities of antique netsuke. (Enlargement: 1.7 times)

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