Netsukes

Starting in the 5th century, the Koreans and Chinese established significant trade relations with Japan, bringing with them many of their customs, arts, and Buddhism. However, it wasn't until the 7th century that this influence began to impact Japanese fashion.

The Japanese adopted the kosode, a plain-colored garment that would eventually evolve into the kimono. Originally, this clothing was unisex, and the color worn indicated the social rank of the wearer.

Gradually, the Japanese kimono diverged from its Chinese ancestor, becoming more varied and refined. From then on, men and women wore different clothing styles.

Since the kimono had no pockets, the Japanese devised an ingenious system to carry various items suspended from the obi, the wide belt that fastened the garment.

These items, called sagemono, were small boxes attached by a cord, which was secured at the edge of the belt by a netsuke. Initially, men carried a flintstone in this way, but the use of sagemono later expanded to transport medicine, money, writing tools, or sealing stamps.

Thus, the netsuke became an important element of traditional Japanese clothing, and artisans competed in creativity to decorate them. Depending on the social rank of the wearer, they could be braided from bamboo or carved in the round from materials such as bone, deer antler, ivory, leather, or wood, including ebony, bamboo, or boxwood.

More rarely, netsuke were made from materials such as hornbill beaks, amber, walnut shells, or tortoiseshell. They typically depicted real or imaginary animals, figures, or traditional masks.

The appraisal of a Japanese netsuke should be entrusted to a specialist in Asian art who can determine its age and origin. The expert will provide an estimate of its value for auction based on the study of the materials used, the subject depicted, and the intricacy of the carving.