Signs of a Fake, Forgery, or Reproduction:
- Netsuke without the patina indicating years of handling.
- Cord holes with sharp, unworn edges indicate a modern piece.
- Cracks in ivory running at an angle to the natural grain are manmade.
- Parts carved after a natural crack formed indicate modern carving on old ivory.
Are netsuke Chinese or Japanese?
A netsuke (根付, [netsɯ̥ke]) is a miniature sculpture, originating in 17th century Japan. Initially a simply-carved button fastener on the cords of an inro box, netsuke later developed into ornately sculpted objects of craftsmanship.
What were Japanese netsuke used for?
netsuke, ornamental togglelike piece, usually of carved ivory, used to attach a medicine box, pipe, or tobacco pouch to the obi (sash) of a Japanese man’s traditional dress. During the Tokugawa period (1603–1868), netsukes were an indispensable item of dress as well as being fine works of miniature art.
What is a manju netsuke?
manjunetsuke or “manju netsuke”- a thick, flat, round netsuke, with carving usually done in relief, sometimes made of two ivory halves. Shaped like a manju, a Japanese confection.
What is a Japanese tokonoma?
tokonoma, alcove in a Japanese room, used for the display of paintings, pottery, flower arrangements, and other forms of art. Household accessories are removed when not in use so that the tokonoma found in almost every Japanese house, is the focal point of the interior.
Who were the Ephrussis?
Edmund de Waal’s best-selling book told the story of the Ephrussis and their collection of Japanese figures Victor de Waal was 10 years old when he arrived in England as a refugee in 1939. His grandfather, Viktor von Ephrussi, was almost 80. The Jewish Ephrussi family had lived in Vienna until the Nazi takeover in 1938.
How did the netsuke get to Japan?
Through the ingenious initiative of a family maid, Anna, the netsuke survived the Nazi looting of the Palais Ephrussi in Vienna, and were retrieved after the war by the Ephrussis’ daughter Elizabeth de Waal (1899-1991) and taken to Japan by her brother Ignaz (Iggie) Ephrussi (1906-1994).
What are Manju netsuke and kagamibuta?
Manju netsuke are named after a popular bean paste confection that came in a round, flat shape. Kagamibuta (literally, “mirror lid”) are a special type of netsuke with a metal lid and a bowl, usually of wood or ivory. Mask netsuke, were carved as miniature versions of the masks used in Noh and Kyogen plays.
How many netsuke were in the Hare with amber eyes?
Two days later 79 netsuke from the collection were dispersed in a sale of European and Asian Works of Art. The collection has been made famous by Edmund in his family memoir ‘ The Hare with Amber Eyes ’.
