Superb late 19th century Japanese wood carved senryu-zutsu pipe holder depicting a snake constricting a frog. Holding a well-used bamboo kiseru smoking pipe with unmarked high-grade silver fittings. Smoking set is completed by a stunning carved wood tobacco box shaped as a human skull with a coiled snake coming out of its eye socket. Lid of the tonkotsu is signed on the inside and the whole box hangs on a replacement cord with an additional skull-shaped ojime bead for fastening. Comes in a later wooden storage box.
Tobacco container is in good antique condition with small age-related tension cracks and very minor losses. Silver fittings of the pipe have some dents from its regular use. Pipe holder with one repaired tension crack behind the head of the snake as per photographs.
Dimensions
Kiseruzutsu – length approx. 20cm
Tonkotsu – length 7cm, height 5cm
References
For a very similar pipe holder see Christie’s sale ‘Japanese Art and Design Including Netsuke from the Estate of His Royal Highness The Prince Henry, Duke of Gloucester, KG.,KT.,KP’ (13 Jul 2006), lot 519 – TWO KISERUZUTSU [PIPECASE] AND A TONKOTSU [TOBACCO BOX], EDO PERIOD (18TH-19TH CENTURY)
https://www.christies.com/en/lot/lot-4755903
Origin: Japan
Date of production: 19th century, Edo or Meiji period
Materials: wood, silver (unmarked)
