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Japanese Antiques

19th Century Japanese Pumpkin Netsuke

19th Century Japanese Pumpkin Netsuke
Photo Credit: matsu-kaze-japan

19th Century Japanese Pumpkin Netsuke

Buy It Now Price: $330 (price as of 2017; item no longer available)

Pros:

-Here is a wonderfully patinaed, hand-carved pumpkin netsuke from Edo era Japan, circa 18th or 19th century.

-In the Edo era, before 1868, Japan was ruled by the Tokugawa shogunate and its samurai retainers.  At the time, everyone wore kimonos, even samurai.  Netsuke were functional wardrobe accessories used to secure a traveler’s purse to his kimono sash.

-This antique pumpkin netsuke measures 36.5 mm (1.44 inches) tall by 45 mm (1.77 inches) wide.  Although it may not seem like it, this is actually a fairly sbustantial size for a netsuke.

-Technically, this netsuke carving isn’t actually a pumpkin!  Pumpkins were originally endemic to North America and were extensively cultivated by Native Americans.  While a few people in 19th century Japan certainly knew about pumpkins, this carving almost certainly represents a kabocha – a type of pumpkin-like Japanese squash.

-This old pumpkin netsuke is probably made from boxwood, the world’s premier carving wood.  Boxwood was used extensively in miniature hand-carved objets d’art in both Europe and Japan before the industrial era.

-Although freshly-cut boxwood starts off as a neutral, cream-colored wood, it gradually darkens over time, developing a beautifully rich and deep patina.

-I love the way the artist left some of the wood’s natural fissures and gnarls intact in order to add texture and interest to this pumpkin netsuke.  It is this phenomenal attention to detail that elevates antique Japanese netsuke to their status as legitimate works of art.

–Japanese antiques in general, and netsuke in particular, distill the very best attributes of Japanese craftsmanship and aesthetics into tangible objects that you can hold in your hand.  These works of art are, in my opinion, extremely undervalued in today’s market.

 

Cons:

-This 19th century Japanese pumpkin netsuke carving is unsigned; it would have been more valuable with a signature.  Netsuke carving was treated as a bona fide art form by the Japanese, and many of the very finest examples were signed by their creators.  In spite of this minor drawback, I believe this netsuke is still worth every penny of its $330 asking price.

-This netsuke carving has a very small, unobtrusive crack on the underside of the pumpkin that does not compromise the structural integrity of the piece.  It is not only acceptable, but expected for 150 to 200 (or more) year old wooden antiques to have minor defects of this nature.  I believe it has little to no impact on the value of the piece.

Japanese Woodcut Print Titled “Bamboo in Early Summer”

Japanese Shin Hanga Woodcut Print - "Bamboo in Early Summer"
Photo Credit: Edokura-Antiques-and-Arts

Japanese Shin Hanga Woodcut Print Titled “Bamboo in Early Summer”

Buy It Now Price: $119 (price as of 2017; item no longer available)

Pros:

-This is a wonderful vintage Japanese Shin Hanga woodcut print by the artist Shiro Kasamatsu titled “Bamboo in Early Summer”.

-It is a large, oban-sized woodblock print, measuring 16 inches (40.6 cm) by 10.75 inches (27.3 cm).

-Shin hanga was an early to mid 20th century Japanese print movement that combined traditional Japanese themes with groundbreaking Western artistic understanding of light and perspective.  It was an export-oriented artistic movement that was wildly popular in the West in the period between World War I and World War II.  Even today, shin hanga prints possess an attractive, unmistakably modern quality.

-Shiro Kasamatsu (born 1898; died 1991) was a renowned and prolific Japanese printmaker.  He became an artist’s apprentice in 1911 and began printmaking in 1919.  He embraced the popular Shin Hanga style early in his career, but switched over to the naïve, self-published Sosaku Hanga style starting in the 1950s.

-This specimen of “Bamboo in Early Summer” is in very good condition, with full margins and no apparent creases, foxing or stains.

-The reverse of this woodblock print has a little ink bleed-through.  This characteristic proves the piece is a genuine woodblock print produced in the traditional way and not a reproduction created via a modern printing technique.

-Bamboo in Early Summer is an atmospheric and evocative work that showcases some of the best attributes of the Japanese Shin Hanga style as executed by Shiro Kasamatsu.  I feel that the buy it now price of $119 is very reasonable and creates the possibility of future price appreciation.

 

Cons:

-Although “Bamboo in Early Summer” was first printed in 1954, this example is a Heisei era (later) reprint from the 1990s.  While not an original, first edition print, Heisei reprints employed the original woodblock carvings and traditional printing techniques.  However, an original example of this print would be far more valuable than a reprint.

-Some experts in Japanese woodblock prints do not think that reprints will appreciate in value in the future.  I disagree, as there are only a limited number of reprints that can be made from a set of woodblock carvings before they are completely worn out.  Reprints using recarved woodblocks are another story, and should be avoided for anything other than decorative purposes.

Antique Japanese Fuchi and Kashira Set with Inlaid Mother of Pearl

Antique Japanese Fuchi and Kashira Set with Inlaid Mother of Pearl
Photo Credit: matsu-kaze-japan

Antique Japanese Fuchi and Kashira Set with Inlaid Mother of Pearl

Buy It Now Price: $255 (price as of 2017; item no longer available)

Pros:

-This is an antique Japanese fuchi and kashira set from the Edo era, the time of the samurai.

-These pieces are traditional Japanese samurai sword fittings.  The fuchi was the “collar” of the sword, and was placed just underneath the tsuba, or sword guard, near the start of the blade.  The Kashira was equivalent to the pommel of a western sword and capped the end of the sword handle.

-The fuchi measures 17.4 mm (0.69 inches) wide by 32 mm (1.26 inches) long while the kashira is 12 mm (0.47 inches) wide by 27.9 mm (1.10 inches) long.

-This Japanese fuchi and kashira set is from the 18th or 19th century and features the branches of a persimmon tree rendered in magnificent high relief.

-This Japanese fuchi and kashira set is made from bronze, shakudo and gold.  Shakudo is a traditional Japanese metal alloy composed of copper mixed with 3% to 7% gold.  It ages to a wonderfully mellow, velvety-black patina.

-These samurai sword fittings also have mother of pearl decoration that cleverly represent persimmon fruit.

-Samurai sword fittings like fuchi, kashira and tsuba were one of the few ways that a samurai could advertise his high social status during the tightly controlled Tokugawa shogunate.  As a result, many Japanese samurai commissioned local artisans to craft exceptionally fine pieces for their personal use.

-The the beaded shakudo background contrasts subtly with the bronze, mother of pearl and gold persimmon branches that stand in relief.  This produces an exquisite overall effect that is highly desirable.

-This Japanese fuchi and kashira set exemplifies some of the finest traits found in traditional Japanese antiques.  I believe it is a bargain at only $255.

 

Cons:

-Mother of pearl is a very fragile substance and has a propensity to dry and crack with age.  Although no cracking seems to be present on our specimen, the mother of pearl appears to have lost its iridescent qualities.  This isn’t surprising considering this Japanese fuchi and kashira set may be as much as 300 years old.

-Although the size of this Japanese fuchi and kashira set is fairly standard for the period, it is definitely small on an absolute scale.  The largest dimension is only 1.26 inches (32 mm).  This means these samurai sword fittings will have less visual impact than larger specimens would.

-Despite being ruled by samurai, the Japanese Edo period was actually quite peaceful.  Therefore it is highly probable that these sword fittings were meant for display purposes rather than actual samurai sword fights.

Antique Edo Period Japanese Toad Netsuke

Antique Edo Period Japanese Toad Netsuke
Photo Credit: matsu-kaze-japan

Antique Edo Period Japanese Toad Netsuke

Buy It Now Price: $999 (price as of 2017; item no longer available)

Pros:

-This antique wooden Japanese toad netsuke from the Edo period is a compelling objet d’art.  I believe it dates from the 18th century, a time of samurai swordsmen and their daimyo lords.

-The piece measures 43.8 mm (1.72 inches) wide by 21.7 mm (0.85 inches) tall.

-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.

-The subject matter of a toad is absolutely typical of old Japanese art.  Japanese artists delighted in playfully weaving naturalistic themes into their work.

-Everything about this antique Japanese netsuke screams “old”.  The undisturbed patina of the wood has a soft, lustrous glow that can only accumulate naturally over a very long period of time.

-This toad netsuke has no rough areas on its surface and the two cord holes underneath show significant wear.  Both of these factors are powerful indicators of use over an extended period of time and, by extension, authenticity.

-The delicacy and attention to detail on this Japanese toad netsuke are absolutely stunning.  It is a top notch example of traditional Japanese artistic sensibilities.

-The asking price of $999 for this Japanese toad netsuke is fair value for a masterpiece of this caliber.  I have little doubt this work will appreciate briskly in value in the future.

 

Cons:

-Although the piece is signed, the signature is illegible.  A legible signature would have boosted its value slightly.  However, even an unreadable signature still suggests that this Japanese toad netsuke was considered a magnificent work of art by its creator.

-This example is on the small side, even for a netsuke.  I believe this restrains the value of the piece, albeit modestly.

-The seller does not disclose the kind of wood used in this sculpture.  I’m leaning towards boxwood, a slow-growing, very fine carving wood native to Japan that was commonly used for netsuke.  However, the piece would have to be personally inspected by a knowledgeable party to make this determination.  However, this is a small quibble.