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• Lot n° 254 HOMEI: A FINE WOOD NETSUKE OF A SAMBASO DANCER By Homei, signed Uryusai Homei 有竜斉 法明 Japan, Edo (Tokyo), early to mid-19th century, Edo period (1615-1868) Published: Tomkinson, Michael, A Japanese Collection (1898), Volume I, p. 161, no. 630 (unillustrated). Finely carved as a Sambaso dancer depicted in a dancing posture, standing on one foot, wearing a characteristic striped eboshi tied with a ribbon under his chin and a voluminous robe with finely engraved cranes and pines. The left hand holds a fan while the right hand is raised backwards, the oval face with a charmingly carved expression and neatly incised mouth and eyes. Two himotoshi to the back, signed underneath HOMEI with the studio name Urysuai. HEIGHT 3.8 cm Condition: Very good condition with minor wear, few minor natural age cracks, tiny nibbles, light surface scratches, and a small dent to the sleeve. Provenance: Ex-collection Michael Tomkinson (1841-1921), Kidderminster, UK. Ex-collection Armand Basi, No. 515. A private collection in Barcelona, Spain, acquired from the above. A copy of a collector’s card from Armand Basi accompanies this lot. Armand Basi (1924-2009) was a Catalan businessman and fashion designer, the co-founder of the fashion firm bearing his name. In 1948, along with his brother Josep, Basi founded a small knitting company inspired by their mother Mercé Sabi's knitted sweaters. By the end of the 1950s, the business had expanded into a large textiles company, opening a factory in 1958, and by 1962 the Basis were exclusive manufacturers and distributors of Lacoste products in Spain. In 1986, Basi launched his eponymous fashion brand, which produced accessories, perfume, jewelry and watches, as well as clothing. Homei was a pupil of Meikeisai Hojitsu (c. 1790-1873) who was ranked among the great netsuke masters of the 19 th century. He specialized in netsuke of figures and animals. The Sambaso dance derived from Noh theatre and was traditionally performed in Kabuki plays to open the new season of performances. The ritual dance was short and was designed to purify the performance area. Literature comparison: Compare a closely related wood netsuke of a sambaso dancer, by Hojitsu, in the Tokyo National Museum, illustrated in Arakawa, Hirokazu (1983) The Go Collection of Netsuke, p. 73, no. 118. Auction comparison: Compare a closely related wood netsuke of a sambaso dancer, by Hojitsu, dated mid-19 th century, Zacke, Fine Netsuke & Sagemono, 8 November 2024, lot 239 ( sold for EUR 7,800).