A carved ivory Netsuke of a man and a woman wearing elaborately embellished kimonos in the act of making love. The surface of the kimonos has been incised and pigments rubbed in the crevices. There is an insignia inscribed under the man's knee. The overall size is 2" x 1-1/4" x 1" H. The man's waist has been drilled with holes (Himotoshi) for suspension on a silken cord.
A netsuke is a form of miniature sculpture which developed in Japan over a period of more than three hundred years. Netsuke served both functional and aesthetic purposes. The kimono, the traditional form of Japanese dress, had no pockets. Women would tuck small personal items into their sleeves, but men suspended their tobacco pouches, pipes, purses, or writing implements on a silk cord from their obi (kimono sash). These hanging objects are called sagemono. To stop the cord from slipping through the obi, a small toggle was attached. The toggle is called a netsuke.
200/300 Sold $172.50
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