Unusual late Meiji to early Taisho (1910s) Japanese bronze obidome (sash ornament) with inlaid and engraved design of a small bird about to land on a bamboo branch. Obidome is worn on an obi cord that holds the obi sash together, it is the only type of jewelry worn by Japanese women on formal occasions, and could serve as netsuke as well.. Very clever design, superb work showing differentiated feathers and finely veined leaves. Different patinas and gilding, two loops on the back for an obi cor...

Late 18th to early 19th century bronze suigaraake (ashtray) netsuke in classic bowl shape, its outside cast with a gnarled branch of a flowering prunus tree. Very well designed piece, good detailing, functional netsuke shape, himotoshi (cord opening) formed by a raised part of the branch. Nice old piece with pleasant patina on metal. Diameter 1 9/16 inches.

Early Showa (1930s) Japanese obidome (sash ornament) of round shape with engraved flowers. Obidome is worn on an obi cord that holds the obi sash together, is the only type of jewelry worn by Japanese women on formal occasions, and could serve as netsuke as well. Very nice work, beautiful patina. Metal fitting on the back with two loops for an obi cord. Diameter 1 1/8 inches.

Early Showa (1930s) Japanese mother of pearl obidome (sash ornament) carved in a shape of a lush peony flower. Obidome is worn on an obi cord that holds the obi sash together, it is the only type of jewelry worn by Japanese women on formal occasions, and could serve as netsuke as well. Beautiful mother of pearl material, wonderful carving of numerous petals, very pleasant finish. Metal fixture with two loops on the back for an obi cord. Length 2 inches.

Unusual Japanese obidome (sash ornament) with striped red agate top inlaid with tiger eye bamboo leaves. Obidome is worn on an obi cord that holds the obi sash together, is the only type of jewelry worn by Japanese women on formal occasions, and could serve as netsuke as well. Clever design, perfect inlay, very beautiful stones, excellent finish and patina. Metal back with two loops for an obi cord, marked SILVER, but looks more like chrome plated. Length 1 3/8 inches.

19th century seed form iron ojime (slide bead for tightening the cord going from netsuke to inro) with applied decoration of a flowering prunus branch and a butterfly in flight. Excellent crisp work with silver inlays and gilding, paktong liner to the central hole, very nice patina. Signed TENMIN on inlaid silver plaque - the artist is listed on p. 1088 of NETSUKE & INRO ARTISTS AND HOW TO READ THEIR SIGNATURES by George Lazarnick. Height 3/4 inches.

Early Showa (1930s) Japanese angel skin coral obidome (sash ornament) carved as an incredibly rich chrysanthemum flower. Obidome is worn on an obi cord that holds the obi sash together, is the only type of jewelry worn by Japanese women on formal occasions, and could serve as netsuke as well. Clever design, superb quality carving with mesmerizing rhythm of the petal structures, beautiful natural fat piece of coral with hints of pink in some spots, excellent finish and patina. Metal fixture with ...

Early 19th century netsuke of a boy holding onto a bamboo branch next to a large ball. Netsuke illustrates one of the paragons of filial virtue, that of Moso - a young scholar who went into the snow to look for bamboo shoots, a favorite dish of his ailing and dying mother. Bamboo does not grow in the snow but the Gods were moved by his filial piety and allowed bamboo shoots to suddenly spring from the ground. The large ball probably represents a snowball. Strong early and unusually detailed carv...

19th century netsuke in manju (rice cake) shape carved in sunken relief with a tiger seated under a full grown bamboo and looking up, the back is carved with a young bamboo with leaves. The subject probably is TAKE NI TORA - the strongest of all animals hiding beneath bamboo during a storm, symbolizing how powerless the terrestrial forces are compared with the force of the elements. Beautiful carving, its eye is inlaid with dark horn, excellent etching of tiger’s coat and bamboo leaves, beaut...

Fukagawa Japanese porcelain vase of square section with indented corners, and underglaze blue and enamel decoration of a flowering prunus tree with chrysanthemum flowers at its roots. Excellent quality painting, skilled use of gold, green, tomato red, yellow and white enamels. Marked in blue enamel on the bottom with a mountain and inscribed FUKAGAWA TSUKURU (made in Fukagawa). Height 7 1/8 inches.

Late Meiji (1890s - 1910s) Japanese ivory chashaku (tea scoop used for powdered tea during tea ceremony) of elegant slender shape. Comes in original chazutsu (inscribed bamboo case), must be about 30 years old. Delicately carved, in great condition, beautiful patina from use, very pleasant to the touch, comes with chazutsu (inscribed bamboo case). Chashaku length 6 1/2 inches, case length 8 inches.

19th century netsuke of a bamboo shoot containing a hollow section with anabori (cavern carving) of the Seven Sages of the bamboo grove looking at an open scroll. (see the detail on the first photo), The inside is almost impossible to photograph, but all the sages are there, need a flashlight even to see them. Very clever joke on the usual depiction of the sages being placed among bamboo stalks, not inside them. Excellent depiction of the shoot structure, the bottom perfectly imitates the marks ...

19th century netsuke carved in a shape of a bamboo section. Very simple elegant design in Japanese taste with clean lines, himotoshi is formed by central peg that has a hole in its back part through which a cord goes. Beautifully carved natural features of the plant, excellent patina. Signed RYUSHO on the back - the artist is listed on p. 901 of NETSUKE & INRO ARTISTS AND HOW TO READ THEIR SIGNATURES by George Lazarnick. Height 1 13/16 inches.

19th century Japanese Asakusa staghorn kiseruzutsu - tobacco pipe case with cover - carved with flowering gnarled prunus tree issuing from rocks and chrysanthemum flowers. Loop for hanging is formed by a leaf of chrysanthemum branch at the mouth. Superb quality sharp carving and etching, warm yellowish patina, darker porous areas as is usual with staghorn, which, in fact, make it so attractive. The piece is in perfect condition, absolutely no cracks, chips or losses, dark streak by the mouth is ...

19th century ojime (slide bead for tightening the cord going from netsuke to inro) made out of a section of bamboo including a node. Elegant clever design, lacquered with gold and black lacquer, beautiful patina. Height 9/16 inches.

19th century ojime (slide bead for tightening the cord going from netsuke to inro) made out of a small section of a bamboo stem. Beautiful surface, very pleasant patina. Height 9/16 inches.

19th century staghorn ojime (slide bead for tightening the cord going from netsuke to inro) carved as a ball woven out of bamboo skin strips. Clever design, nice work, nice feel of age, pleasant patina. Diameter 11/16 inches.