Lot 18: A boar-tusk netsuke By Jack Coutu (1924-2017), English, carved August 1996

A boar-tusk netsuke
By Jack Coutu (1924-2017), English, carved August 1996Carved in sunk relief with a mountain hare resting in a burrow in the snow, the burrow probably stained with ink, the broad end plugged with stained wood, the leaves engraved and inlaid in silver, the rabbit's eye inlaid in horn; signed on a silver tablet JC. 10.8cm (4¼in) long. (2).

Sold together with Jack Coutu's reference card (no.262), on which he modestly states: 'This was based on a mountain hare in a "snow hole". Not very obvious and I was not happy with the side view I finished up with. I had intended a high 3/4 frontal view. It also got heavier and more tonal than I had intended but it is a little different from previous carvings.'