Netsuke, Japanese miniature carvings collectibles

Netsuke (Japanese: 根付) refers to the Japanese miniature sculptures that flourished during the Tokugawa period (from 1603 to 1868). This period in Japanese history is also known as the Edo period.

(Note: In English, the word “netsuke” can be used both as a singular or plural form.)

Famed for its artistic and intricate beauty, Netsuke was actually invented for a very practical purpose.

Kosode and kimono, which are traditional Japanese costumes, have no pockets for keeping personal belongings (e.g. money, seals, medicines, pipes and tobacco). Such objects have to be put in sagemono (containers) that are hung by cords from the obi (kimono sash).

Sagemono can be a purse, a pouch, a small woven basket, or a box. The most popular is the beautifully crafted box called inro. It is held shut by ojime (cord-tightening bead).

The small and intricately carved exotic fastener that secured the sagemono’s cords at the top of the sash is the netsuke.

As a toggle for hanging objects, netsuke has a himotoshi (hole or channel) for the cord to go through. Being a costume accessory, it must not be fragile or has parts that might entangle with the robe. Its size is comparatively small (1 to 3 inches) so that you can easily hold it in your hand.

An enormous range of materials is used for netsuke carvings. This includes agate, amber, bamboo, bear tooth, boar tusk, boxwood, glass, hippopotamus tooth, hornbill ivory, ivorine, jade, lacquer, metal, porcelain, rhinoceros horn, tagua nut, tiger tooth, Umimatsu (black coral),Umoregi (petrified wood), whale tooth, whale bone, walnut, and walrus tusk.

Throughout the Edo period, netsuke was developed into a craft art with great artistry, resulting in various netsuke forms such as Katabori, Sashi, Manju, Ryusa, Kagamibuta, Anabori, Obi-hasami, Karakuri, and Mask netsuke.

People and animals are the most common subjects of netsuke.

The figural forms usually depict people from Japanese history, religion, literature or famous legends. Even commonplace stock characters (e.g. scholars, craftsmen, carvers, and fishermen) are represented in netsuke to display every aspect of the Japanese life and culture.

When depicting erotic scenes, figural netsuke is known as Shunga netsuke.

The animals in netsuke are usually those from Japanese folklore, Japanese sea life, and iconography of the Chinese zodiac.

Entire scenes from history, mythology, or literature can also be found in certain netsuke carvings.

During the Tokugawa (Edo) period, the population is divided into four classes in the following order of rank: samurai, peasants, craftsmen, and merchants.

As members of the merchant class were not allowed to wear jewellery, they use netsuke as a kind of personal adornment. As a result, the functional miniature art flourished during the Edo era.

However, with the end of the Tokugawa regime in the mid-19^th century, netsuke became obsolete as traditional Japanese sartorial fashion gave way to European suits with pockets.

Nevertheless, some netsuke were still carved to meet the needs of foreign residents and tourists, who kept them as collectibles. Netsuke of high standard continued to be produced through the mid-20^th century.

The Japanese miniature carvings attracted the attention of the Western world from the mid-19^th century onwards. Since then, netsuke became extremely popular collectibles in Europe while being neglected in its own homeland, Japan.

Antique netsuke refer to those carvings made during the Edo period and are prized for their style and patina. Contemporary netsuke are the ones that are carved later in the modern days.

In recent years, the number of netsuke artists, both Japanese and non-Japanese, has risen in Japan and other countries. The works of world-renowned contemporary netsuke artists are often featured in exhibition and sales galleries.

Although currently netsuke is better known in the West, there seems to be some revival of interest in the miniature art in Japan. Nowadays, some Japanese can be seen carrying mobile phones attached with netsuke.

Today, both antique and contemporary netsuke are internationally appreciated as a unique and fascinating art form.