Rats
are known as nazumi in Japanese. Due to its association with the Lucky God Daikoku,
(and the Hindu God of Wealth Ganesh), rat is a venerated symbol of prosperity
in Japanese culture, and rat netsuke were wore as good luck charms; hence this
six rats netsuke was evidently cherished by many of its former owners for the
abundance it represented.
Koryusai
Naokazu is an important netsukeshi in the Edo Temple period (1830-1834). Well
known for his figures and animal in wood and ivory, as clearly displayed in this
superb boxwood netsuke, in which the design concept and the skill shown in pruden
simplicity, with exact details and ebullient expressiveness in the six rats, that
firmly established his status as a master carver. The netsuke is beautifully aged
with minor usage worn, well preserved wood in natural light brown, and observed
no defect other than a couple of small nicks on a mouse, overall it is in very
good condition.