Antik Dragon

Description

Superb Japanese Meiji (19thC) Hyotan double gourd sake flask (tokkuri) with its original cord and stopper. Height ca 18cm (7.25in), diameter 13cm (5in). The flask is accompanied by an excellent boxwood netsuke of Okame signed Shuzan (4.8cm/2in). She is depicted with typical chubby smiling face, hair parted in the centre, with tenjo eyebrows on her forehead. The wood is lightly stained. See an identical netsuke here:

Excellent original condition with no marks, cracking or peeling. A collector’s item.

When travelling, picnicking informally or just going out on the town, hyotan were worn suspended from the obi sash (hence the netsuke). Sometimes a cup was attached to the hanging cord or a separate cup with its own netsuke was provided to make instant service possible. They were also used as water bottles or canteens.