Lot 9: A boar-tusk netsuke By Jack Coutu (1924-2017), English, carved February/March 2008

A boar-tusk netsuke
By Jack Coutu (1924-2017), English, carved February/March 2008Carved in relief, a dragonfly emerging from its larval shell by a river, its eyes inlaid in pale horn, the broad end plugged with ebony; signed on a silver tablet JC. 12cm (4¾in) long. (2).

Sold together with Jack Coutu's reference card (no.329), on which he states: 'A somewhat overfilled piece and perhaps not as fine as some earlier work. However it has a certain vitality and I have done worse! It is a favourite subject of mine and I carved it as an ivory and ebony netsuke in 1976. No.54.'