Description
Beautiful antique ivory Japanese netsuke. This netsuke is made of antique elephant ivory (zouge in Japanese) with beautiful striation and ring patterns. Expertly carved and with an impressive luster and sheen, this high quality ivory does have some scratches and scuff marks as evidence of past use and the entire piece wears a darkened patina of age. In the Japanese mind these marks are thought to contribute to the appeal of a netsuke and give the object its sense of character and past utility. The Japanese use the word aji to specifically refer to this quality, which is thought to complete the netsuke as an art object intended for functional, daily use.
This netsuke was acquired in the historic city of Shizuoka, Japan (retirement home of the Tokugawa Shoguns) and dates from the late Japanese Edo period (1600-1868) or early Meiji period (1868-1912). The netsuke comes from the estate of family who were of the samurai class during the Japanese feudal period. Please read below to learn more about Japanese netsuke. And please read our supplemental note about U.S. and international restrictions on the trade of ivory and ivory products.
Size:
Height: 3.4 inches (8.6 centimeters)
Width (across widest area): 1.0 inches (2.6 centimeters)
Weight: 1.1 ounces (31 grams)
Important Note:
We guarantee the authenticity of every item we sell. Item descriptions and age estimates are based upon our experience and research as well as input from reputable antique dealers and associates here in Japan. Buyers are protected by our full refund return policy (please see our Store Policies section below) and commitment to fair and honest trade. Please contact us with any questions and thank you for viewing our listings.
More about Netsuke
Where can you place things when wearing a garment that has no pockets? For all its beauty, comfort and style the Japanese kimono has never included a convenient place to store personal items. In the past some Japanese would keep the things they needed in the kimono's vast sleeves or tucked into the folds of their garment. Over time however, in became fashionable and convenient to secure personal items such as money pouches and tobacco kits to the belt-like obi. These items and others were kept in place by tying them with a length of cord to a small polished gourd (hyotan) which could then be passed under the obi and in this way used to keep the attached item dangling conveniently at waist level. Such items became known as sagemono in Japanese which literally translates as "hanging things". By the 17th century the gourd had given way to smaller, specially crafted items called netsuke which originally looked like buttons but which over time were adapted to fit a wide range of artistic and personal tastes. Netsuke did often resemble people or animals as well as objects from everyday life or nature.
As an art form the netsuke is largely without a detailed history and pedigree. Though many netsuke were signed, we today know relatively little about the artists or the various schools of influence. This fact means that most netsuke must be appreciated primarily for their intrinsic appeal, as well as for an important feature which the Japanese call aji. Aji may be defined as the effect upon a netsuke produced by it's being used for its intended purpose, namely as a decorated object of daily use. Scuff marks, small scratches and the patina of age together contribute to an netsuke's aji, and provide the finishing touch on one of humanity's most unique, practical and beautiful forms of art and expression.
Important note about purchasing ivory:
United States law restricts the import of most types of ivory. However, ivory that can be verified as being more than 100 years old and thus categorized as "antique" may be brought into the country. All ivory items listed within our eBay store are purchased from established antique dealers in Japan who verbally certify for us the age and authenticity of each piece. Please contact us if you have questions or would like additional information. And please be sure to check the laws of the state in which you reside for special restrictions on the purchase and import of antique ivory. Bidders outside the United States should please check the laws and any international ivory treaties signed by your country.
item code: R1S4-0003143
ship code: L1650
Shipping & Handling
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Please see the Policies section below for additional information.
US Shipping
$14.92 EMS Express to USA & Canada
International Shipping
$16.21 EMS Express to rest of world
Store Policies
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Satisfaction Guarantee
We really want you to be happy with your purchase! For this reason all items include a 100% money back guarantee. If you are unsatisfied for any reason, you may return your purchase immediately for a full refund. Your purchase and all shipping costs will then be refunded to you after the item has been returned to our office in Japan. Please see our Contact page if you need to reach us for any reason.
Shipping and Insurance
We ship anywhere and happily combine orders to help you save money. We carefully weight and measure each item prior to listing in order to determine the actual shipping cost. This allows us to then include a shipping quote within each listing which is sufficient to cover postage and handling costs to any address worldwide. All shipments are via standard airmail, though very heavy (over 2 kilograms) or high value (over $200 USD) packages may be shipped via international Express Mail Service (EMS) or private freight carrier. Purchases are carefully packed and shipped within 72 hours of receipt of payment. Delivery to addresses in North America and Europe average 7 to 15 business days with more or less time sometimes required for other areas of the world. International buyers should be aware of the laws of their own country and be prepared to deal with any and all customs-related fees and charges. Taxes, duties, VAT and any other levies accessed are the responsibility of the buyer. We self insure the full purchase value of each order. Additional insurance is also available for customer purchase.
Payment Methods & Terms
Shopping with us is easy. Within 24 hours of the close of each transaction you will be sent an email Winning Bidder Notification (WBN) including instructions to help you complete your purchase. Please note that multiple purchases will automatically be combined into a single WBN. Please follow the instructions within the WBN to complete your purchase though our auction management service. This insures that we get the correct shipping address and helps avoid confusion or problems with your order. PayPal is our preferred method of payment though we do also gladly accept cashier's checks and money orders made out in United States dollars. Please see our Contact page for payment and address information when mailing payment.
Listing Photography
Please note that we frequently use photographic models with our listings. This means that when we create a new listing we will randomly select from inventory a sample of the item for the purpose of photography. The item you receive therefore may differ slightly from the sample shown in the listing photos. Your satisfaction guarantee however is always in force and we will promptly refund or replace the item if you are not pleased with your purchase. Please contact us to ask if a model was used with any listing you may be interested in.
Interested in Japan?
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Tags: Japan netsuke tokaido softypapa
