A RARE IVORY NETSUKE OF AN EAGLE AND NAMAZUA RARE IVORY NETSUKE OF AN EAGLE AND NAMAZU Unsigned, attributed to the Okatomo school, ivory netsukeJapan, Kyoto, 18th century, Edo period (1615-1868)A very fine and compact ivory netsuke of an eagle, its eyes inlaid, picking at the flesh of a Namazu. The Namazu seems content however, his visible eye doubled inlaid in black and reddish horn, since the only thing that can stop this mythical creature is a magical gourd. The entire composition is in movement, the bodies of the eagle and Namazu are wonderfully winding. One himotoshi through the Namazu and the other hidden under the belly of the eagle. Attributed to the Okatomo school. HEIGHT 2.5 cm, LENGTH 3.5 cmProvenance: British private collection with two valuations from Sotheby’s, by Neil K. Davey, dated 1974 & 1984, inventory no. 103.Condition: The beak of the eagle is restored, and an old chip to the edge of the feathers. Otherwise good condition.Literature comparison: Compare to a netsuke in similar style of a crow and gourd by Okatomo in The Meinertzhagen Card Index on Netsuke in the Archives of the British Museum Part B, Frederick Meinertzhagen (edited by George Lazarnick), New York, 1986, page 616.