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- Japanese Netsuke Toggles, Ojime Beads and Inro Cases
inro with design of capped monkey head
� inro, motif de langur � capuchon � wood, lacquer, glass � ojime with rooster � ojime, coq � wood, lacquer, silver � netsuke in the form of a badger's head; floral spray and conch shell on verso � netsuke en forme de t�te de blaireau; grappe de fleurs et conque au verso
� carved wood � late Edo period, mid 19th century � Fred and Isabel Pollard Collection, AGGV 1974.223.001
Miniature toggles called netsuke (literally means "root for fastening") were created in Japan at least as early as the late 16th century for both functional and aesthetic decorative purposes. The traditional form of Japanese dress known as kimono and kosode had no pockets to carry small items. Women could tuck personal items into their sleeves, while men suspended on cords their objects of everyday use, called sagemono (hanging objects)�which included tobacco pouches, pipes, brush cases, purses or compartment cases called inro �from their obi (kimono sash). To secure the cord from slipping through the wearer's sash, a small fashionable netsuke toggle or counterweight with two openings for the cord to pass through, acted as an anchor, and an ojime (sliding bead) was strung on the cord between the netsuke and the sagemono to tighten or loosen the opening of the sagemono. The owners of the three elements sought to bring about the perfect combination of them in colour, material and design. Most often, the three elements were not made by the same group of artists.
To work properly, netsuke toggles had to meet certain basic requirements: they had to be compact, not too heavy, but bulky enough to stop a cord from slipping; durable, to be able to withstand a lot of wear; smooth and comfortable, with no sharp or protruding edges that could cause damage to the wearer's garment or skin; and finally, fashionable, something the wearer could be proud of displaying.
During the Edo or Tokugawa period (1603-1868), people of all classes, from officials and samurai, to wealthy merchants and craftsmen, sought out fine netsuke. Even peasants owned simple netsuke, often made of natural materials like gourds, shells and stones, netsuke became a means to exhibit personal taste through adornment, like one might with jewellery, netsuke production soon evolved from a strictly utilitarian
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