Typically less than two inches in diameter, netsuke are tiny carved art objects originally meant as fasteners for items on Japanese men's robes of the 17th and 18th centuries.
This mode of dress, the kimono, had no pockets. For objects the men needed to carry with them, such as pipes, money, and signature seals, small boxes were designed to hang from the robes' sashes or to tuck into the copious sleeves or folds of the garments.
The hanging objects carried in pouches, were called "sagemono." They were fastened to the kimono's sash ("obi") with cords held by intricately carved toggles called "netsuke."
Practical Objects of Japanese Dress Were Also Works of Art
Just as with other modes of fashion throughout time, the artful intricacy of the netsuke was a talisman of the wealth and status of the person wearing them. Wealthier persons could afford to have expensive, valuable materials, such as fine ivory (which was not banned in the 17th through 19th centuries), jade, and precious stones, carved by artisans in complex designs, often in sets for the garment.
Other, cheaper, netsuke would be knocked off quickly in rougher designs, with leftover scrap of the artisan's studio or with less precious materials, such as wood or bone.
Artisans sometimes signed their work, though the fact a netsuke is signed does not necessarily mean the piece is more collectible or valuable today.
Kimonos were eventually replaced in Japan by dress style using buttons, but the little intricate netsuke remained prized sculptures, works of art not only in Japan but in Western Europe and the United States. They took on their own life to become a worldwide timeless Asian art.
Subjects of Netsuke Carving
All manner of subjects could be inspiration for netsuke. Some sets were done in animal themes - lions, tigers, bears, rabbits, elephants, horses, for example. Many of these are intricate action figures, often in multiple combinations.
Others represent mythical tales of dragons and demons, sprites and spirits. Birds are another popular subject.
People in all types of activities, some in life representations, others from Japanese stories and legends, can be found in netsuke art.
Netsuke Collecting
Netsuke collectibles today range from a few dollars for copies and roughly rendered art to well into six figures for a detailed quality antique or original by a known artisan. Avid collectors spend much time seeking out unique and antique pieces.
Although many sought-after netsuke are antiques from the kimono days of Japan, prized artworks are still being made today. The tradition of a revered art thus continues.
Collectors should be careful, however. As in any field of art, fraud is possible. Netsuke replicas in resin may be passed off as original carvings. Resolve doubts with an expert before purchasing.
Also, illegal ivory is still being harvested by unscrupulous hunters and traded in the world black market. Be careful when purchasing ivory products.
Antique ivory netsuke and those made with mammoth ivory are legal. New or contemporary ivory pieces are not. If an ivory netsuke does not have provenance or a seller's certification that it is pre-ban (such as an authentic antique), beware of its origins. Purchasing banned ivory is a crime.
For further information about netsuke:
- International Netsuke Society
- J. Earle, Netsuke,(MFA Pub. 2004), ISBN-10: 0878466754.
- E. Symmes Jr., Netsuke Japanese Life and Legend in Miniature, (Tuttle Pub. 1995), ISBN-10: 0804820260.
- J. Hutt, Japanese Netsuke, (Victoria & Albert Museum, 2003), ISBN-10: 0810966093.
Linda Ashar - Linda C. Ashar is a lawyer, educator, horse breeder, freelance writer, and artist. Her 25-year law practice in Avon, Ohio, focuses on ...
