The Nagatani Trademark - A Japanese Carved Hardwood Figure of a Wise Man

20th Century

永谷商会徽記木雕
the wise man depicted dressed in high-waisted garments with a hood, the face carved with a big laugh and long, bushy beard, both hands holding a long, open scroll with a small tortoise resting atop.

Height 22 1/4 in., 56.5 cm.

Property from the Estate of Hisazo Nagatani (1905-1994), thence by descent. 永谷商会（前山中商会芝加哥分公司）创始人永谷寿三（1905-1994）舊藏。

Provenance:

這是我行第三次推出日裔古董商永谷寿三之遺產。永谷系山中商會芝加哥分店店长，關西人，父早逝，寡母撫育成人。中學畢業入山中商會，17嵗派駐北京，經手高古造像陶瓷無數。旋赴波士頓，再遷紐約。三十年代山中商會在芝加哥開分店，初由紐約店下間豊吉兼管，后為永谷全權負責。選址密歇根大街北段“華麗一英里”，豪客雲集。

太平洋戰爭爆發後，山中商會美國三店慘遭查封，永谷因博學強識且爲人和善，被敵產管理局委任清倉芝加哥分店。期間各大博物館、古董商紛至沓來，以至需屢屢閉店控制人數。山中商會結業后，永谷寿三創設永谷商會，時為1944年秋。

芝埠老錢新貴如布倫戴齊（前奧組委主席、舊金山亞洲藝術博物館主捐贈人）、近年叱吒拍場的瓊肯三世、喜馬拉雅藝術收藏巨擘阿兹多夫家族等皆是永谷商會常客。這份成功離不開其賢内助山田千夏。山田原係賓州最高法院首席法官秘書，英文流利，長袖善舞。1979年下世，永谷寿三無限傷痛，生意大受衝擊，不久閉門結業。經營所得贈與伊利諾伊州立大學開設獎學金悼念亡妻。

永谷的兄弟皆死於二戰，唯小妹相依爲命；山田的長姊同樣早逝，留下一雙子女由夫婦倆撫養成人。永谷夫妻僅有一子，子又生孫，均無從業古董行者，兩年前委托我司釋出碩果僅存的青銅與玉器精品，分2022年春秋两场上拍，買家珍重，成績斐然。本次上拍若干書畫玩器，靜待有緣人。

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The Nagatani Trademark - A Japanese Carved Hardwood Figure of a Wise Man

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