Photo Credit: matsu-kaze.japan
Antique Japanese Edo Era Wooden Netsuke from the 18th or 19th Century
Buy It Now Price: $360 (price as of 2016; item no longer available)
Pros:
-This is an antique Japanese Netsuke carving from the Edo era – the 18th or 19th century period when samurai under the command of the Tokugawa Shogunate still ruled Japan.
-This specimen measures 29 mm (1.14 inches) tall by 51 mm wide (2.01 inches).
-In Edo era Japan, everyone – even samurai – wore kimonos. Netsuke were functional wardrobe accessories used to secure a traveler’s purse to his kimono sash.
-Although anachronistic for their original use, Netsuke are avidly collected today as some of the finest objets d’art ever created. They are truly masterpieces of miniature sculpture.
-This particular netsuke exquisitely depicts a small cluster of mushrooms. Edo era Japanese craftsmen often pursued naturalistic themes when carving netsuke. This netsuke, with its organic lines and meticulous attention to detail, is a superb example.
-Netsuke were hand carved from a variety of interesting materials such as ivory, wood, boar tusk, horn, bone and metal. This particular netsuke is crafted from wood – possibly boxwood, one of the finest carving woods known.
-The even, undisturbed dark patina on the wood is completely consistent with an object that is well over a century old.
-The $360 asking price is very reasonable considering that this netsuke is both well executed and obviously original. It is sold by an experienced Japanese antique dealer and ships straight from Tokyo.
Cons:
-Although not visible in the photo, this netsuke has a small age crack on the back, caused by the wood shrinking with extreme age. This minor defect is not unusual among wooden items more than 100 years old and does not impact pricing significantly.
-While not common, netsuke were sometimes signed by their creators. This netsuke, although very desirable already, would be even more so if it had been signed.
