3. NETSUKE EN BOIS REPRÉSENTANT ASHINAGA ET TENAGA Fin du XVIIIe siècle A WOOD NETSUKE OF ASHINAGA AND TENAGA Late 18th century Ashinaga supporting Tenaga on his back, Tenaga, reaching down to grab a struggling octopus with his left hand; signed So[...]. 9.1cm (3 9/16in) high. 木彫根付　足長手長　銘「藻[...]」　18世紀後期 Provenance: Sold at Aguttes & Laurent, Clermont-Ferrand, 13 May 1982, lot 75. Purchased from Josette Schulmann, January 1985. A rare and intriguingly signed netsuke whose signature has provoked endless speculation and debate, it has previously been attributed to Mataemon. Very few examples allegedly signed by Mataemon are however known, one formerly with Max Rutherston (catalogued as signed with a cipher, rutherston.com/stock-portfolio/wood-hero-netsuke-mr1923/). Another two illustrated by Sydney L. Moss, OHYB, pp.274-279, nos.36-37. The two characters for the two Sydney Moss examples were read as 'Matain', which does not match the signature on this present lot, although the carving style is remarkably similar and of comparable quality.