Boxwood netsuke representing the mask of Hyottoko in Noh theatre.

Hyottoko is a legendary comic character, considered to be a fire god in certain regions of north-east Japan. The shape of his grimacing mouth is explained by the fact that he blows fire with a bamboo pipe.

Signed on the back: Shin… (真…).

Japan – Edo period (1603-1868)

Height: 1.9 in / 5 cm – width: 1.6 in / 4 cm – depth: 0.8 in / 2 cm