Japanese Antiques

This antique Japanese netsuke sculpture depicts a smaller rat playfully piggybacking on a larger rat.  Although it looks like ivory, this example is probably made from either bone or antler.  Given the relative crudeness of this piece, it could be a 20th century copy made for the tourist trade.

Americans like things big.  We live in a country the size of a continent.  We drive SUVs that can seat 8 or, alternatively, accommodate a pygmy hippo.  We pioneered the concept of the 6 bedroom, 3500 square foot McMansion, complete with in-ground swimming pool.  Hell, the unofficial motto of the state of Texas – which, incidentally, is comfortably larger than the nation of France – is “Everything’s bigger in Texas!”  But sometimes our obsession with super-sizing everything can blind us to the subtle, understated charms of small things.  And rarely are all the finest elements of small design more fully realized than in Edo and Meiji era Japanese Netsuke carvings.

The Japanese people have traditionally been – and still are today – masters of the miniature.  This artistic gift is perhaps most evident in their incredibly skilled Netsuke sculpture.  Netsuke are diminutive Japanese carvings that emphasize the wonderful plasticity of their constituent natural materials.  They were an integral part of the traditional Japanese wardrobe during the Edo and early Meiji periods, from the mid 17th century to the end of the 19th century.

The primary Japanese garment during this time was the silk kimono, which was worn by both men and women.  However, kimonos have no pockets.  As a result, the Japanese used a pouch or purse to carry around money or other small items.  A netsuke secured a traveler’s money pouch to his kimono sash and was used by everyone from samurai to peasants to courtesans.

Over the course of the Edo period netsuke evolved from purely functional items into increasingly elaborate works of art meant to display the wearer’s wealth, sophistication or even political views.  Edo era Japan was a highly stratified society.  The shogun (ruler) and his subordinate daimyo (lords) were at the top of the social pyramid followed by samurai, farmers, craftsmen and finally merchants.  However, centuries of peace during the prosperous Tokugawa shogunate meant that the samurai class – near the top of the social order – became increasingly impoverished while merchants and craftsmen – at the bottom of society – became progressively wealthier.

The shoguns attempted to preserve Japan’s feudal social order by promulgating strict sumptuary laws.  These laws prevented people in the lower classes from openly flaunting their wealth by building lavish houses or wearing fine clothing.  Newly rich craftsmen and merchants responded to this repression, in part, by purchasing luxurious and fanciful netsuke for their personal use.

In 1853, a naval expedition under U.S. commodore Matthew Perry entered Edo (Tokyo) bay and demanded that the previously isolationist Japanese open up trade relations with the West.  This event threw the shogunate into a crisis that eventually precipitated its downfall.  After the collapse of the Tokugawa shogunate in the late 1860s, the Japanese increasingly adopted Western style clothing.

As a result, netsuke gradually became unnecessary, falling into disuse during the Meiji era in the late 19th century.  Even after becoming anachronisms, devoted artists from Japan – as well as other countries – have continued to craft lavish, whimsical netsuke sculptures to the present day.  This validates the netsuke’s legitimacy as an objet d’art par excellence.

Edo and Meiji Era Japanese Netsuke for Sale on eBay

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Antique Japanese netsuke come in a variety of different forms.  The most common are katabori or figural designs.  Popular themes for katabori netsuke were plants, animals, everyday scenes, holy men and gods.  Round, flattened shapes that resemble large buttons or discs are known as manju netsuke.  Mennetsuke (mask netsuke) were also extremely popular, imitating either noh, bugaku or kyogen masks from the Japanese theatre.

Japanese netsuke were made from myriad different materials, but preeminent among them was ivory.  It is estimated that up to half of all netsuke were made from ivory.  Although ivory is a compellingly tactile, durable and beautiful material, its sale has been banned in most developed nations to combat poaching.  This, unfortunately, renders buying or selling elephant ivory netsuke technically illegal in many jurisdictions.  Luckily, the Japanese also produced netsuke in a variety of remarkably attractive materials other than ivory, including boar tusk, horn, bone, lacquer and metal.

Wood is the most frequently encountered netsuke material besides ivory.  Species such as boxwood, cherry, cypress, yew and cedar were commonly used while exotic, imported woods like ebony and rosewood were employed less often.  All of these woods possess exceptionally dense, compact grains that resist wear and are well-suited to finely detailed carving work.  The warm, dark patina of a fine boxwood netsuke from the age of the samurai is both distinctively mellow and unmistakably alluring.

Edo and Meiji Era Wooden Japanese Netsuke for Sale on eBay

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The single greatest factor in determining a netsuke’s value is the execution and skill of the carving itself.  This criterion overshadows every other consideration when evaluating a netsuke’s desirability and future return potential.

Condition is another major factor in determining the value of a Japanese netsuke.  Genuine examples – all over a century old – will invariably possess an attractive, even and undisturbed patina.  Due to their age, small chips, cracks or minor blemishes are acceptable on original netsuke.  Major damage, however, is undesirable and renders a piece uninvestable.

Although uncommon, some netsuke makers signed their miniature sculptures just as any other artist would sign his work.  The presence of a signature does not significantly affect a netsuke’s price unless it belongs to one of the most famous masters.  A netsuke’s material, likewise, rarely impacts its value.

High-End Edo and Meiji Era Japanese Netsuke for Sale on eBay

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Beware of crude “netsuke-like” carvings when acquiring specimens.  These were produced in vast quantities in 20th century Japan for the Western tourist trade.  These pieces were not meant to be fakes per se, but more like imitations.  They lack the delicacy and refinement of genuine netsuke carvings.  Consequently, they have no collector’s value and should be avoided.  Verifying that a netsuke has two holes placed near each other (originally for the cords attaching it to a kimono sash) should help weed out some of the clumsier reproductions.

Their sweeping, delicate lines and bold, organic forms infuse netsuke sculpture with an unmistakable aura of Eastern sophistication.  Simple, yet original, 19th century netsuke are available from around $175. More complex, intricately crafted examples of these overlooked investments readily trade for several hundred dollars.  Truly exquisite netsuke start at around $1,000, escalating quickly into the thousands of dollars for museum quality pieces.

Few things exemplify the pure artistry of the diminutive better than authentic Edo and Meiji era Japanese netsuke.  As some of the world’s finest works of miniature sculpture, netsuke prove that while sometimes bigger is better, other times small is the best of all.

Read more in-depth Antique Sage Japanese antiques investment guides here.

A finely crafted Japanese lacquerware jewelry box employing raden (inlay) ornamentation.  The iridescent mother of pearl decorative inlay contrasts sharply with the coal black background, creating an interesting and visually powerful effect.

It is said that the Japanese have a distinct national character.  They are widely considered to be industrious and extremely attentive to detail, yet also staunch traditionalists.  As a result, the Japanese have traditionally excelled at repetitive, highly-skilled crafts that take many long years of training to perfect.  This unique mix of Japanese cultural attributes has given rise to one of the world’s great unsung art forms – Japanese lacquerware.

Urushi, or Japanese lacquerware, exudes the island nation’s sleek minimalist, yet still naturalistic style.  Flowers, mountains, trees and birds dance across lustrously polished lacquer surfaces as if alive.  The soft glow of antique lacquer adorned with a stately gold crest of medieval Japanese nobility evokes the prestige and glory of feudal, Edo-era Japan.  Inlaid mother of pearl decoration bursts into iridescent animation, radiating vibrantly against a smooth, burnished lacquer background.  Lacquerware is truly Japan’s most original, and perhaps finest, national craft.

While used in China as long ago as the 3rd century BC, lacquerware only spread to Japan in the 7th century AD.  Although not native to their island, the Japanese soon fully embraced this demanding handicraft.  Over the passing centuries Japanese craftsmen constantly innovated, eventually raising lacquerware to the nation’s pre-eminent art form by the time of the Tokugawa Shogunate during the 18th and 19th centuries.

As The West came into contact with Japan during the Age of Exploration, Europe became obsessed with the intricate, fanciful designs and mesmerizing luster of its fine lacquerware.  The ill-fated, late 18th century French queen Marie Antoinette was famous for her Japanese lacquerware collection.  So was the European monarch August the Strong, the early 18th century King of Poland and Grand Duke of Lithuania.  In fact, the word “Japan” itself became a synonym for Japanese lacquerware in England during the Georgian era.

Edo & Meiji Era Japanese Lacquerware Boxes for Sale on eBay

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The hard lacquer coating used in the production of Japanese lacquerware originates from the toxic sap of the urushi tree (Rhus verniciflua).  This sap contains the same chemical irritant found in poison ivy, poison oak and poison sumac.  Urushi sap is harvested in a very similar way to natural rubber from rubber trees.

A series of parallel grooves are cut into the urushi tree’s bark.  The sap that weeps from these wounds is collected, filtered and purified before being applied to a base object.  Once processed, urushi sap loses all its toxic characteristics and becomes completely safe.  The sap can be used on a wide range of materials including paper, plastic, metal, leather and glass, but is most often used on wood.

It takes anywhere from 5 to 40 individual layers of sap to complete a piece of Japanese lacquerware.  After each layer is applied by hand, the wet sap is hardened via a chemical process known as polymerization by subjecting it to a sauna-like environment of elevated heat and humidity.  This is followed by laborious sanding to prepare the dried lacquer to accept the next coat of sap.  This painstaking layering process continues with progressively finer sanding grit until the final layer is polished with an incredibly fine abrasive – traditionally powdered stag horn and oil.

The resulting hardened lacquer finish is incredibly durable, resisting water, salt, acid, alkali and alcohol with ease.  It can also resist temperatures up to approximately 300 degrees centigrade (572 degrees Fahrenheit)!  Lacquer’s only apparent weakness is its propensity to degrade after prolonged exposure to the harsh ultraviolet rays of strong, direct sunlight.

Japanese lacquerware is so enduring that it is common for pieces to last over a century, even with regular use.  In fact, the old Japanese saying about lacquerware is “Once you buy it, it will last through your grandchildren’s generation.”  In spite of Japanese lacquerware’s extreme toughness, using it in the microwave, dishwasher, refrigerator or oven is strongly discouraged because temperature extremes can cause the wood base to warp, thus damaging the lacquer finish.

A variety of striking decorative techniques are used in Japanese lacquer-work.  Most commonly, the lacquer itself is dyed – usually a deep cinnabar red or charcoal black.  Of course, the lacquer can also be left clear if the artist wishes to accentuate an object’s underlying wood grain.  Another technique frequently used is called “maki-e.”  In maki-e, powdered gold or silver dust is sprinkled onto the still wet lacquer in the shape of a decoration.  Once the lacquer is cured, the gold or silver dust forms a glittering, shimmering metallic design that is permanently embedded in the surface of the hardened lacquer.

The final type of decoration commonly encountered is called “raden.”  Raden is an inlaying technique where small pieces of bone, ivory or mother of pearl are inset into the surface of an item to form a design or picture.  Multiple layers of clear lacquer are then applied over the entire item and polished to a high luster.  Japanese lacquerware crafters are true artists, often using a combination of contrasting decorative technique simultaneously for maximum visual effect.

Traditional Japanese Lacquerware Bento (Lunch) Boxes for Sale on eBay

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Most Japanese lacquerware shares similar styles, motifs and forms regardless of its date of manufacture.  This can make date attribution difficult.  Edo and Meiji era (pre-1912) Japanese lacquerware designs often have a slightly stiffer and more formal appearance, even when portraying naturalistic scenes.  However, by the time of the Taisho and Showa eras (1912 onwards), decoration becomes very subtlety looser and freer in execution due to Western artistic influence.

Another dating hint is when a distinctly non-Japanese artistic style is employed.  For example, Art Deco design elements would suggest an early 20th century origin.  Japanese lacquerware was also produced in different forms over the decades.  For example, incense boxes and Inro (a Japanese wallet for use with kimonos) are indicative of Edo or Meiji era 19th century lacquer-work.  While still notoriously tough to date, all of these clues used together can help to properly attribute Japanese lacquerware.

When buying Japanese lacquerware for investment purposes, the foremost consideration is quality workmanship.  There is a very broad quality range of lacquerware available in the marketplace today.  Low quality lacquerware is hastily manufactured using synthetic, polymer-based lacquers instead of genuine sap from the urushi tree.

In addition, poor quality specimens will invariably use far fewer layers of lacquer than a high quality piece.  Good quality lacquerware will always possess many layers of urushi lacquer – and even more layers when richly decorated.  The delicate artistic treatment of any decoration is another hallmark of fine vintage Japanese lacquerware.  A legitimate, investment-grade specimen will possess intricately detailed designs or scenes that are precisely rendered.  Poor quality lacquerware will have sloppily or nebulously executed designs.

When looking for good investment returns, it is best to avoid Japanese lacquerware that is plain, with no decoration.  While Japanese craftsmanship naturally tends toward the stylistically uncluttered, lacquerware with no embellishment whatsoever is unlikely to ever be highly desirable.  As with all antiques, condition is also of paramount importance.  As a general rule, heavily damaged examples should be avoided.  Minor damage to lacquerware can often be repaired and thus may be acceptable in otherwise exceptional or historically important pieces.

Although lacquer can be coated on a variety of base materials, high quality Japanese lacquerware is almost always applied to wood.  Plastics are often used as the base for cheaper, lower quality pieces using synthetic lacquers.

A good way to check the quality of a vintage lacquer item is carefully balance it loosely in one hand and then tap it with your finger.  Natural lacquer over wood will tend to give a clear, resonant sound while cheap, synthetic lacquer over plastic will give a dull, lifeless thud.  It is no coincidence that fine musical instruments through the ages – ranging from 17th century Stradivarius violins to 1950s Gibson Les Paul electric guitars – have traditionally been constructed from fine tonewoods coated with many layers of natural lacquer.

Vintage Japanese Lacquerware Bowls & Plates for Sale on eBay

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Within a specific class of antiques, it is a general rule that the older the item, the more expensive it becomes.  This rule only marginally applies in the case of vintage Japanese lacquerware.  Even recent specimens from late in the 20th century are very desirable if they are well made.  Due to the highly-skilled and labor-intensive nature of lacquerware manufacturing, little high quality production emanates from Japan in any given year.  And because fine lacquerware crafting does not lend itself to automation, this situation is unlikely to ever change.  Therefore, there is little worry that the market will suddenly be flooded by modern, high quality lacquerware.

As with all antiques, pricing for Japanese lacquerware varies greatly with quality.  19th century Edo and Meiji era lacquerware is typically rather expensive, with prices ranging from just over $200 for simple examples to several thousand dollars for ornate, expertly crafted ones.  Taisho and early Showa era lacquerware from the first half of the 20th century is nearly as expensive as older specimens.  Japanese lacquerware of more modern vintage is usually slightly less costly, with entry-level investment-grade examples starting at a little over $150 each.

Japanese lacquerware is truly one of the greatest investment secrets of today’s art world – a glittering gem in the rough.  And it is a testament to the nature of the Japanese people that they have managed to keep this magnificent art form alive for over a thousand years.

Read more in-depth Antique Sage Japanese antiques investment guides here.