| DATE | early 19th century |
| AUTHOR | Unknown artist - Japan |
| MEDIA | Boxwood |
| SIZE | 6,4 x 2,8 cm (2" 1/2 x 1" 1/8) |
| LOCATION | Private collection |
| NOTES | Netsuke literally means "root for fastening" (ne tsuke). Netsuke are toggles worn by Japanese men of the upper and middle classes. The origin of netsuke is of a rather practical manner. Japanese kimonos had no pockets. The kimono was tied together with a sash or belt, called obi. So everything that you would carry in a pocket was put into a pouch or a box and attached to the sash with strings. The netsuke with two openings for the string to pass, acted as a toggle to prevent the sagemono (everything hanging from the sash) from slipping down from the obi. The channel or hole carved into the netsuke for the passage of the cord is called the himotoshi. |
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