19th century boxwood netsuke representing a Noh theater mask of an oni (mischievous demon). Excellent quality carving, wonderful face with a hint of malice, beautiful stippling indicating hair of its eyebrows and chip, superb wear and patina. Height 1 3/4 inches.

19th century staghorn ojime (slide bead for tightening the cord going from netsuke to inro) carved in a shape of a basket woven out of bamboo skin strips in a shape of a jar. Clever elegant design in Japanese taste, beautiful staghorn texture, in great condition. Height 9/16 inches.

19th century marine ojime (slide bead for tightening the cord going from netsuke to inro) in ball shape carved in the round with shishi (Buddhist lion) frolicking among rocks and flowers. Beautifully carved, excellent patina, metal liner to the central hole. Diameter 0.68 inches.

19th century netsuke of poet Hitomaro wearing his official coat and ritual hat, leaning on a low table thoughtfully contemplating the world as if seeking inspiration for one of his poems. Kakinomoto no Hitomaro was a famous poet and aristocrat of the late Asuka Period (7th/8th centuries), and is considered one of the Thirty Six Poetry Immortals of Japan. Wonderful carving with great intense face, excellent staining, wear and patina. Signed RYOKOSAI on the bottom - the artist is listed on p...

19th century stag antler mask netsuke representing BESHIMI. Excellent expressive face, beautiful staining. Height 1 1/2 inches.

19th century Japanese small lacquered wood netsuke representing a theatrical mask of a bat with large ears and characteristic snout. Uncommon image, excellent intense face, great patina. Crisp detailing, nicely lacquered, some wear to the surface. Signed RYUUN on the back bar - the artist is listed in NETSUKE MASKS by Raymond Bushell, p. 175, signatures 241-243. Height 1.1 inches.

19th century netsuke in manju pillow shape carved on the front with a scholarly landscape of Mount Fuji partially obscured by clouds, a wide bay with a sail boat and pines, and a lower part depicting 3 nasubi (eggplants) of different sizes. Excellent design in Japanee taste, superb quality carving, wonderful mellow patina turning honey color, wear to the back. Signed GYOKUHOSAI followed by a seal (rather worn) on the back - the artist is well known for that kind of work and is discussed on p...

This early 19th century painted pressed horn netsuke is 2” high, 1 1/5” wide and ¾” thick. It depicts a big headed smiling man. He is wearing a kimono and sandals and is carrying a mask of Otafuku on his back. It is in excellent condition.

19th century ebony netsuke of a crouching rat with its young climbing on mother’s back. Wonderfully captured interaction, superb detailed carving, very beautiful patina, in excellent condition. Length 2.51 inches.

19th century boxwood netsuke of a blind masseuse working on a client. The masseur has a typical bump on his head, as is usual with portrayal of blind in netsuke. Wonderful carving with great faces, muscles of the client and excellent depiction of textile lines, rich warm patina. Signed NOBUFUSA on the bottom - the artist is listed on p. 834 of NETSUKE & INRO ARTISTS AND HOW TO READ THEIR SIGNATURES by George Lazarnick. Height 1 1/8 inches.

19th century Japanese small lacquered wood netsuke representing a theatrical mask of horned green skinned demon. Uncommon image, excellent intense face, great patina. Crisp detailing, nicely lacquered, some wear to the surface. Signed RYUUN on the back bar - the artist is listed in NETSUKE MASKS by Raymond Bushell, p. 175, signatures 241-243. Height 1.15 inches.

19th century wooden netsuke of two frogs frolicking on differently sized peony buds with stems. Wonderfull quality carving (see finely incised petals texture) carved, very beautiful warm patina. Signed GYOKUSEKI on the bottom - there is Gyokuseki listed on p. 428 of NETSUKE & INRO ARTISTS AND HOW TO READ THEIR SIGNATURES by George Lazarnick, but this is much better quality carving than his usual work, probably a different carver with the same name. Length 2 inches.

19th century kagamibuta netsuke with iron lid inlaid with multimetal old torn fan and iron tetsubin (tea kettle) in a shape of a pig, its handle of twisted gold wire, and 2 drum strikers incised on the plate. Elegant design in Japanese taste, crisp work, beautiful patina on the lid and the bowl. Metal swinging loop on the back for hanging. Recently deaccessioned from the Framingham History Center, Massachusetts, where it has been part of the collection since 1923...

19th century netsuke depicting Ashinaga seated next to a basket, his absurdly long legs raising higher than his head, wearing a skirt, a short European jacket and tiger skin pants. In Japanese legends he is often accompanied by Tenaga (long arms) whom he puts on his back and goes fishing. Very nice work, wonderful smiling face, buttons are inlaid with horn, pleasant wear and patina. Height 1 3/8 inches.

19th century kagamibuta (“mirror lid”) netsuke with the top carved in low relief with a seated boy wearing rich robe decorated with brocade pattern and intently looking at koi fish swimming in a large bowl in front of him. Wonderful depiction of robe lines, elegantly incised textile decoration. Wonderfully depicted drops of glaze on the bowl shoulder. Beautiful patina, swinging metal loop at the back for the cord. Diameter 1 9/16 inches.

19th century Japanese small lacquered wood netsuke representing a theatrical mask of a distressed man. Excellent intense face, crisp detailing, nicely lacquered, great patina, some wear to the surface. Signed RYUUN on the back bar - the artist is listed in NETSUKE MASKS by Raymond Bushell, p. 175, signatures 241-243. Height 1.13 inches.

19th century wooden netsuke of a theatrical mask, traces of painted mustache identifies the character as Chujo. Made in saishiki technique - the wood is covered with gesso, which in turn is painted in bright colors. A lot of wear to the surface, but still has good presence. Height 1 9/16 inches.

19th century 2-toned ichii (yew wood) netsuke of Hotei (one of the 7 Gods of Good Fortune, who is considered to be an incarnation of Maitreya - the Buddha of the future) carrying his bag on the back suspended by a stick across his shoulder. Very good quality carving - see facial expression with a wide smile and wonderful flow of his robe...

19th century netsuke of half of a mokugye - a Buddhist gong in a shape of a fish with its head touching its tail, and a curled lotus leaf with a stem resting on the gong. Unusual combination of Buddhist symbols, great carving of fins and scales, leaf texture, eyes of the fish are inlaid with black horn. Expertly stained, beautiful warm patina with wonderful wear. Excellent netsuke. Length 1 3/16 inches.

19th century cypress wood small okimono representing standing Daruma (founder of Zen Buddhism) enveloped in his monastic robe dramatically billowing in the wind. The sculpture is skillfully carved out of Japanese cypress branch in ittobori (one cut) style characteristic of Hida Province with clever use of natural wood shape, structure and texture as elements of design. Excellently conveyed expression of extreme concentration on Daruma’s face, beautiful patina...

19th century marine netsuke carved as inu-bariko - a papier-mâché box in a shape of a simplified dog. Unusual version of the object - the face is that of a human. Opens to reveal a carved bar inside the upper part that serves as himotoshi. Great smiling face, black ink highlights, gold lacquering to the top of the lower part, pleasant wear and patina. Signed GYOKUBUN on the bottom - the artist is listed on p. 423 of NETSUKE & INRO ARTISTS AND HOW TO READ THEIR SIGNATURES by George Lazarnick...

19th century staghorn ojime (slide bead for tightening the cord going from netsuke to inro) in a shape of a die with dots highlighted in black ink. Nice quality work, beautiful warm patina, some wear. Cube side 0.42 inches.

Height: 4 cm (1.6 in)
Width: 5.8 cm (2.3 in)
Depth: 3.6 cm (1.4 in)

Excellent Japanese carved netsuke of Daikokuten pouring Fukurokuju sake; fine carving throughout showing superb detailing; natural material; a piece by the hard-to-find artist, Masayuki; good condition

19th century kagamibuta (mirror lid) netsuke with Shibayama inlay depicting 3 utensils for tea ceremony: haboki (feather brush for ashes), sumitori (charcoal basket) and hibashi (fire tongues). Clever design, beautiful detailed inlay work - see the texture of silver tongues). The bowl is ebony, the top is boxwood, materials used for inlay are mother of pearl, silver, gold, walnut skin and 2 types of dark wood. Plain back, old silk cord, two parts fit nicely, beautiful mellow patina...

19th century Asakusa school staghorn netsuke of obihasami type carved with a couple of bamboo stals. The hooks at the top and bottom of the piece go around the edges of obi - a sash holding a kimono. Simple clever piece typical of Asakusa school, warm patina, darker porous areas as is usual with staghorn. Length 4.14 inches.

19th century staghorn ojime (slide bead for tightening the cord going from netsuke to inro) carved in a shape of abalone shell. Good design, natural imperfections in staghorn, stained pale red, overall in very good condition. Length 13/16 inches.

A Japanese boxwood netsuke depicting Shojo crouched in a typical posture, with his hand resting on his knee, while sleeping from the effects of too much sake, the kimono is finely carved with geometric motifs as well as the long hair on the back. Similar examples of the Nagoya carvers are illustrated in Meinertzhagen, MCI, p.844, Davey, MTH, p.189, no.570 and Lazarnick, NIA, p. .1063. Edo period 19th century Sizes: 3,3 x 2,7 x 2,6 cm. Condition report: Good condition

Soft, light weight wood, dark and light brown mottled, netsuke representing a snake coiling through a rock. The snake in gilt yellow bronze. Signed at the bottom: Osai. Japan, Edo or Meiji period, mid 19th century.

L 2 x W 1 ½ x H 1 ½ inches.

Very good condition.

Perhaps persimmon.

19th century boxwood netsuke of Fukurokuju with his characteristic elongated head wearing a long sleeved robe and holding a fan in his hand. He is one of the Seven Gods of Good Fortune, his name consisting of Japanese words fuku (happiness), roku (wealth) and ju (longevity). Great face, wonderful flow to the lines of his robe, beautiful patina. Signed SHUZAN for Nagamachi Shuzan in irregular reserve on the back - this very distinct artist is listed on p...

19th century kokutan (ebony) netsuke of a sitting shishi (Buddhist lion), its tail up and its head turned to the left, mouth open in a wide grin. Represented beast is definitely male both because of its explicitely carved bottom and because its mouth is open emitting sound A (the first letter of Sanskrit alphabet), while the female shishi are depicted with closed mouth emitting sound N (the last letter)...

19th century small ojime (slide bead for tightening the cord going from netsuke to inro) carved in the round with a pierced design of a butterly by a blooming peony. Wonderful carving, excellent detailing, pleasant patina, in great condition. Height 3/8 inches.

19th century wooden netsuke of a slightly inebriated dancer with a fan in his hand. Wood is lacquered in Negoro style - red (or golden brown) lacquer over black, so as it wears the black starts showing. Beautifully carved drunken facial expression, really nice feel of age to the piece, very pleasantly worn. Height 2 inches.

This is a finely carved 19th century Japanese netsuke depicting a charming dog holding its paws atop a awabi shell while playing with it. Very nice hair work. Eyes inlaid with stag horn. Netsuke measures 1.50 inches (3.8cm) wide, and 1.10 inches (2.8cm) tall. Unsigned.

Height: 4.8 cm (1.9 in)
Width: 2.5 cm (1 in)
Depth: 1.7 cm (0.6 in)

Japanese carved netsuke of a standing man; inlaid horn to hair and shirt buttons; finely stained; very well modelled; natural material; a/f to side

19th century staghorn ojime (slide bead for tightening the cord going from netsuke to inro) carved as Zen Buddhism patriarch Daruma enveloped in his monastic robe. Excellent face with expression of extreme concentration, superb warm patina, very pleasing shape. Height 11/16 inches. Wooden stand used for photography is not included.

This a rather rare subject Netsuke made during the 19th century, in Japan, that depicts a rat that is gnawing at a large radish, on top of a straw rice scoop. The rat and radish are made from Sentokudo, a bronze alloy, that has acquired a dark patina with the passage of time. The ring at the bottom of the rice scoop serves as himotoshi. Unsigned. Netsuke measures 1.46 inches (3.7cm) wide, 1.68 inches (4.2cm) long, and 0.25 inches (6mm) thick. It is in excellent preserved condition.