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Japanese Ishikawa Signed Boxwood Finely carved Japanese boxwood netsuke depicting two toads among a lily pad, signed Ishikawa (石川).
This distinctive composition features one toad climbing across the lily while a second peers through an opening beneath it. The carving is especially detailed, with extensive stippling used to create the textured skin of the toads, finely defined feet and lily-pad details, and dark inlaid eyes.
A virtually identical example is documented by Ancestor Gallery, a specialist in Asian art, as “Toads & Lily Netsuke by Ishikawa,” Japan, 20th century, made of boxwood and horn. Their example measures 4 cm and carries the same Ishikawa 石川 signature. The documented example was offered at £200 and is recorded as sold.
The underside of this example has two himotoshi cord holes and the incised two-character Ishikawa 石川 signature.
Approximate dimensions:
40 x 32 mm
1.57 x 1.26 inches
Material: Boxwood with horn inlay
Artist/Signature: Ishikawa 石川
Origin: Japan
Period: 20th century
Very good vintage condition with attractive warm coloration and minor age-related surface wear. No obvious major cracks or losses observed in the photographs. Please review all photographs closely as they form an important part of the condition description.
An unusually expressive and highly detailed signed Japanese netsuke suitable for a netsuke, Japanese art, frog/toad, or miniature carving collection.
