Another Japanese old beauty
NETSUKE
Another Japanese old beauty
| The first class Sandalwood | The first class ebony |
| Sandalwood is famous as an aroma essential oil. The heartwood with lucre color, is an aroma, has spirit characteristic wood and the materials as an object of worship from ancient times. People use this wood as the sculpture material of the statue of Buddha and the fine arts and as the perfume. The younger wood is whiter, the elder wood becomes the extent yellow which passes the year. |
Very hard wood like steel. Grown in India or Indonesia. Nowadays it is difficult to get due to conservation of nature. The specific gravity of Ebony is heavy than water, so ebony is sink in the water. It is hard to carve, because blade of chisel is easy to damage. |
| We can make other mask Netsuke, contact us. | |
| Noh mask home | Shishigashira home |
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| What is NETSUKE? | ||||
| A NETSUKE (a miniature sculpture) was originally developed and made in
Japan. The word Netsuke is a combination of two words, ne and tuske, ne
means root and tsuke means to fasten, hang or attach. A Netsuke also has an ojime, (sliding beads on cords) which tighten the cord for Sagemono, such as Inro( Medcine box), bag, tobacco pouches, pipes, purses,Yatate(writing brush box). Short history Before Meiji(1868) period, Japanese people usually wear KIMONO(the traditional form of Japanese dress). KIMONO has no pocket, so people would tuck small personal items into their sleeves or inside of bothom but the items which are used often people tie and suspended their tobacco pouches, pipes, medicines on a cloth string from their obi(sash or waist belt). However each time tie and untie is reluctant, they create a toggle for easier. This toggle is called netsuke. In the beginning they called the NETSUKE as OBIGURUMA, OBIBASAMI, OBIKAKE, OBITUKE, and NETSUKI as well. In the 17th century (Edo period 1615-1868) the netsuke was becoming popular as a fashion item. Artists would compete to carve the netsuke. They would use a special paint and various kinds of materials such as wood, ivory, precious metals, shell, coral, and semi-precious stones. After Meiji, the Japanese people were becoming accustomed to wearing western clothing and they no longer had a use for the netsuke. The people of Europe soon discovered the artistic beauty of the netsuke and consequently many of the old Japanese netsuke ended up in Europe. Today the Japanese people are once again taking notice of the beauty of the netsuke and using them with their mobile phones. It is not uncommon to see even a child in Japan to use the Netsuke to strap the mobile phone. There are many kinds and styles: Katabori-netsuke, Sashinetuke, Kagamibutanetsuke, Manjyunetsuke, etc and also Men-netsuke(Mask Nestuke). We carve@and introduce the Mask-netsuke using a special exclusive wood (Sandalwood and Ebony only). |
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| Netsuke material | ||||
| Wood, ivory, cow's horn, tusk of walru, antler,whale teeth, shell, coral, and stones, boxwood,ebony, sandalwood, metal (iron, copper, brass, gold, silver,etc) | ||||
| Netsuke Style | ||||
| Mask(men) Nestuke, Katabori-netsuke, Sashi-nestuke, Kagamibuta-netsuke, Manjyu-netsule, etc | ||||
| Netsuke feature | ||||
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| Netsuke must have two holes where the code go through to tie cord suspending sagemono, and a Ojime(sliding bead) was strung on the cord between the netsuke and the sagemono to tighten or loosen the opening of the sagemono. the sagemono suspended from the end that protrudes below the obi. | ||||
