Table Of Content$3.75
THE WONDERFUL WORLD
OF NETSUKE
Roughly a century ago, when Japan emerged
from the long seclusion of the Edo period and
opened her doors to the West, a treasury of
fascinating objets d'art was exposed to view.
By no means the least fascinating among the
discoveries by Westerners were the miniature
works of art known as netsuke. These tiny
masterpieces of sculpture (mostly in ivory and
wood), of lacquer, and of metalwork captivated
collectors with the charm of their conception,
the intricacy of their detail, and the sheer
tactile pleasure of handling them. Basically
they were utilitarian in purpose, serving as
toggles or pendants to support medicine boxes,
to bacco pouches, and similar articles sus-
pended by a cord from the obi. Originally
primitive in design, they soon became more
and more sophisticated, and their makers
turned increasingly to the legendry of Japan
for their subject matter.
It is with these masterpieces in miniature
that author-collector Raymond Bushell deals
in The Wonderful World of Netsuke} picturing
one hundred of them in color and offering a
delightfully informative description of each.
In so doing, he provides not only a visual treat
but also an absorbing commentary on J apa-
nese manners, customs, history, legends, and
superstitions. Mr. Bushell, besides being an
avid collector of netsuke, sword furnishings,
and jade, is widely known for his adaptation
from the Japanese of The Netsuke Handbook of
Ueda Reikichi.
Mr. Bushell lives in Tokyo where he prac-
tices law.
THE WONDERFUL WORLD
OF NETSUKE
PLATE l. HAIRY AINU. The Ainu are the aborigines of japan. Accord-
ing to their oral legends, they came from a land of sno;w a.nd ice devoid
of forests or birds. The land of their legends is thought to be Siberia.
They are a Caucasian race, taller and bonier than the japanese, with
luxuriant mustaches and beards as opposed to the smooth-skinned
japanese. Originally tht: Ainu were settled extensively throughout
japan, but today they are concentrated around Shiraoi in Hokkaido,
the northern japanese island, in much the same way as the American
Indians on the Arizona reservations.
The Ainu's life is one of fishing and hunting. The great annual
Ainu festival is devoted to the worship and sacrifice of a bear. In the
illustration, the Ainu is carrying a catch of seals on his back.
The geometric patterns on Ainu clothes resemble American Indian
decorations. I ike.the Scotsman's plaid, the pattern tells which village
or clan an Ainu traveler is from. Material: wood. Unsigned. Height:
7.9 cm. From the collection of Cornelius Van S. Roosevelt, Washing-
ton, D. C.
The Wonderful World
of Netsuke
With One Hundred Masterpieces of
Miniature Sculpture in Color
by RAYMOND BUSHELL
CHARLES E. TUTTLE CO.: PUBLISHERS
Rutland, Vermont & Tokyo, Japan
TABLE OF CONTENTS
List of Illustrations 7
Introduction . . . 11
Acknowledgments. 12
Plates 3-100 . . . 15-71
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LIST OF ILLUSTRATIONS*
PLATE
1. Hairy Ainu. Wood. Unsigned. ....... Frontispiece
2. Kanzan and Jittoku. Wood. Unsigned. .. '. . . 14
3. Curly-Haired European. Mother-of-pearl. Unsigned. 15
4. Europeans with Dogs. Ivory. Unsigned. 16
5. European and Game. Ivory. Unsigned. 17
6. Fanciful Europeans. Wood-Ivory. Unsigned. 18
7. Monkey Songoku. Inlaid wood. Unsigned. 19
8. Kudan. Ivory. Unsigned. .... 19
9. Daruma as Saint. Ivory. Hidetsune. . . . 20
10. Mermaid and Child. Wood. Kokei. 20
11. Woman Daruma. Lacquered wood. Meizan. 21
12. Daruma as Toy. Boxwood, teak, and ebony. Segai. 21
13. Wild Boar. Wood. Masatomo. 22
14. Wild Boar Group. Wood. Tomokazu. 22
15. Horse and Mare. Ivory. Unsigned. 23
16. Resting Horse. Ivory. Gyokutosai. . . 24
17. Horse and Rat. Wood. Tomokazu. 25
18. Standing Horse. Staghorn. Unsigned. 26
19. Rakan. Black pottery. Mokubei. 26
20. Handaka Sonja. Painted wood. Attributed to Yoshimura
Shuzan. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .. 27
21. Owl. Wood. Unsigned. ............. 28
22. Mount Fuji and Plovers. True pearl and gold. Ichigyoku. 28
23. Busho Killing the Tiger. Ivory. Minkoku. 29
24. Javanese Sword Handle. Wood. Unsigned. 29
25. Ghost. Wood. Unsigned. . . . . . . . . 30
26. Ghost and Goblin. Wood. Masatoshi. 30
27. Nitta Y oshisada. Painted wood. Unsigned. 31
28. Skeleton. Ivory. Unsigned. . . 31
29. Butterfly. Ivory. Unsigned. . . . . . . . 32
*A ll photographs taken by the author.
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30. Christian Netsuke. Metal. Unsigned. . . . . . 33
31. Daikoku and Ebisu Wrestling. Ivory. Unsigned. 34
32. Karako at Play. Ivory. Unsigned ... 34
33. Karako Holding Cat. Ivory. Unsigned. 35
34. Dog. Rhinoceros horn. Unsigned. 36
35. Giraffe Group. Boxwood. Shoko. 37
36. Dog. Ivory. Unsigned .. 37
37. Ox. Wood. Tomotada. . . . . . 38
38. Baku. Wood. Unsigned. . . . . 38
39. Sparrow on the Wing. Wood. Unsigned. 39
40. Toy Tiger. Ivory. Hoichi. .... 39
41. Standing Tiger. Ivory. Hidemasa. . 40
42. Crouching Tiger. Bamboo. Sekiran. 40
43. Doll Tiger. Tea-bush wood. Kyusen. 41
44. Woman Wrestler. Wood. Ikkatsusai .. 41
45. Priest and Scepter. Wood. Unsigned. 42
46. Fox-Witch. Ivory. Shiko. .... 43
47. Fox-Priest. Wood, lacquer, and inlays. Kokoku. 43
48. Inari Fox. Ivory. Ishun. . . . . . 44
49. Badger-Priest. Wood. Unsigned. ... . 44
50. Kirin (Hakutaku). Ivory. Unsigned. . . 45
51. Siamese Chess Horse. Wood. Unsigned. 45
52. Kirin (Kaibutsu). Staghorn. Unsigned .. 46
53. Swimming Smelt. Mother-of-pearl. Unsigned. 46
54. Farmers' Art. Wood. Unsigned. . . . . . . 47
55. Earthquake Fish (Nama~u). Ivory. Unsigned. 47
56. Carp (Koi). Wood. Masatoshi. 48
57. European Influence. Ivory. Unsigned. 48
58. Sashi Netsuke. Staghorn. Kokusai. 49
59. Monkey Group. Ivory. Unsigned ... 50
60. Monkeys and Loquats. Wood. Toyokazu. 51
61. Kite. Lacquered wood. Unsigned. . - 51
62. Nara Doll. Painted wood. Toen. 52
63. Rabbit. Ebony. Unsigned. . .. 53
64. Rabbit Circle. Ivory. Unsigned. . 53
65. Toad Sennin. Wood. Toyomasa. 54
66. Weasel. Ivory. Unsigned. 54
67. Red Lacquer Doll. Red lacquer. Ho. 55
68. Standing Dolls (Tachibina). Ivory. Rensai. 55
69. Happy Chinese. Wood. Unsigned ..... 56
70. Ryomin Copy of Shuzan. Wood. Ryomin. 56
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