In olden days Japanese men wore Kimono with an Obi sash around their waist. Money, medicine, tobacco and other small items were carried in small pouches attached to the obi. The pouch was kept closed with a draw string, and the draw string was kept tight with a Netsuke, a small carving. The draw string passed through a hole in the bottom of the carving. In Japanese, Netsuke literally means "attached to the root" or "attached to the end."
Netsuke were used as early as the 13th century as functional items. Around the 18th century, they gained popularity as intricately carved pieces became very fashionable. As feudal lords and wealthy merchants patronized the carving artists, Netsuke became a refined art.
Netsuke are typically carved from ivory, many kinds of wood, horn, teeth and bone. Some were even made of ceramics. Most Netsuke are small, to ensure easy handling of pouches. Also, they were round so as not to catch on clothing. However, as Netsuke became collector items, fancy shapes, elaborate carvings, and many motifs emerged.
Around the 1870's the Japanese starting wearing western clothing, and pouches and Netsuke were no longer practical. As Netsuke were no longer a part of everyday life, they were usually of limited interest, only to collectors. In the early part of this century, Netsuke became popular as collector items among foreigners, who found this miniature art form very pleasing. Following the foreigners' lead, Netsuke became popular as antique items among the Japanese. Nowadays, Netsuke is collected by enthusiasts worldwide. However in recent years, the sale and import of ivory items have been prohibited in many countries, leading to a decline in the popularity of ivory Netsuke.
Featured Netsuke are made of materials other than ivory. Items are approximately 2 to 3 inches in height and were made circa early 20th century.
Prices are quoted at the beginning of the feature month. We reserve the right to change prices at any time. Please note that we do not update this page to reflect availability of items. If you are interested in purchasing any items, please contact Harumi Antiques.
To see a larger image of each piece, click on the image (~100K).