An ebony netsuke of a frog on driftwoodBy Seiyodo Yoshimasa, Iwami Province, dated 1865
The small frog seated, looking up, on a long section of striated and weathered driftwood, the underside polished; signed beneath with incised characters Iwami Inaokayama Seiyodo Yoshimasa (Seiyodo Yoshimasa of Mount Inaokayama, in Iwami [Province]) with kao and inscribed on the end with ukibori characters Genji ninen ushi uruu haru to (carved in an intercalary month in the spring of the second, ox year of Genji [1865]). 6.3cm (2½in).注脚黒檀彫根付　流木に乗る蛙　銘 「石見稲岡山青陽堂義匡(花押) 元治二年丑壬春刀」　1865年

Published:
Earle, Huthart, p.355, no.331.

In 1865 an intercalary month was added after the fifth month in accordance with the old calendar which was officially abandoned in 1871.

Inaokayama has not been identified although there may be a connection with the present day Inaoka-cho, a district of Izumo City which lies some 70 kilometres to the east of the main centres of carving in Iwami Province.