. \ SAS N . S WN SN WS Y LQ \ « ‘ \\ AY Ss eras ag mk TES ae SE axtPe eed; ly ae Feet athlete 7 Carved Wooden Figure, showing the way in which Netsukes are used NETSUKES BY ALBERT BROCKHOUS Translated by M. F. Watty Edited by E. G. Stillman ILLUSTRATED NEW YORK Perr lee D & COMPANY 1924 } FIELD & COMPANY _ ’ CONTENTS Preach TO .UNGHISH EIDITION . .-. . .--+-+ . « » Ik feeeeoee TO GERMAN Kipirion. .......... =X MW RONUNCIATION—SPELLING . . . 1. . + «2 « » » XVI CHaprer I—UsE AND KINpDs or NETSUKES ..... 3 Cuapter [I—THE CarvinGc oF NETSUKES. ..... 18 CuapTer IJI—NEtTsuKE SUBJECTS... fs . 41 CuapterR IV—NETSUKE COLLECTIONS eles: Cuapter V—THE History or NETSUKES . : 71 CHaprer VI—Artists’ SIGNATURES. ....... 95 CuapTrer VII—MyrTnHouocicaL SUBJECTS . ae Reh el Poe Perr Iik—ntGIBUIOGRAPHY. . . .« « «© « «© «© « « « L783 Na Poy fia go are iat ILLUSTRATIONS All the Manjus and Netsukes shown in these illustrations are reproduced actual size. CARVED WoopEN Figure SHOWING THE WAY IN WuicH NETSUKES ARE USED PLATE I. Puate sid. Puate III. Puate IV. Pram V. Puate VI. PuatE VII. Puate VIII. PuaTte IX. PuaTteE X. PuateE XI Puate XII. Puate XITT. PLATE XIV. PLATE XV. Puate XVI. Mangus OCCUPATIONS . Wiup ANIMALS . DomeEstic ANIMALS UTENSILS Masks Masks CoMPASS AND OTHER PIECES Pirge CASE AND OTHER FIGURES . FIGURES DAGGER AND INCENCE HOLDER . MonxkKEYS Moon AND OTHER FIGURES . VEGETABLES AND FLOWERS . MyrTHo.ocicaL Figures . WRITING OUTFIT AND FIGURES . ce . Opp. page ce . Frontispiece 14 22 36 48 58 66 80 92 104 114 126 134 144 154 164 PREFACE TO THE ENGLISH EDITION Aut who are interested in the exquisite Japanese carvings called Netsukes, owe a deep debt of grat- itude to Albert Brockhous for having published his masterly treatise on that subject. In order to make this work available to the American col- lectors who own one or many Netsukes, this English translation has been prepared by Miss M. H. Watty. In this much abridged English version no attempt has been made to reproduce the ex- quisite colored illustrations or the numerous half- tone cuts of the original German edition. The facsimiles of the Japanese signatures have also been omitted, as well as the extensive bibliography. Anyone wishing to study signatures or to delve deeper into the subject should consult the original German work. HK. G. STILLMAN, Editor. nt PREFACE TO THE GERMAN EDITION “Everything has its _ beauty, But not everyone can see it.’’ —CoNFUCIUS. How is it possible in these days for people with limited means to acquire the original works of a master? Now that there are museums, one might think that it was not worth while for the individual to compete with these institutions, and since col- lecting became an art and a science, many have abandoned the difficult task of getting together a collection. Now that there has spread among people that desire to make their homes look as luxurious as possible, which has caused the prices of art objects to increase to such an extent that they are unattainable by intellectuals, there is great danger that art as well as handicraft may become a monopoly of the rich. In spite of this, however, there are still some genuine works of art, really original pieces, which X1 PREFACE are accessible to him who, through the new and the unusual which ordinarily discourages the masses, is able to distinguish grace and artistic perfection, and who can judge with his own eyes and with a little effort delve into the inexhaustible world of Japanese art, at a time when very few have any appreciation of it. Whosoever is filled with the desire to understand the art of other peoples, must have sufficient in- tellectual elasticity to be able to see things with their eyes, and to think and feel as they think and feel. That which in the beginning seemed absurd, will then become logical. In order to enjoy Japanese art, the collector must first endeavor to learn something about the alphabet and the lan- guage of the people who have created it. The domain of Japanese art and Japanese masters is inexhaustible. Painting, plastic art, architecture, and the handicrafts closely related to those fine arts, have, in the course of bygone centuries, produced accomplishments which are only partly equalled by the Japanese today, and which remain wholly unattainable to other people. It is therefore well worth while to collect Japanese things. Fabrics, forged articles and carvings, xii PREFACE earthen wares and lacquer works, paintings and wood engravings, utensils for religious service, and ordinary articles of use, are all perfect in their own way. From the endless number of their creations, which are well worthy of being studied, one only needs to pick out one special thing to discover the ever-increasing joy we derive from it. ‘To him who possesses knowledge of the sub- ject, every Japanese collection tells of a foreign people, of an exotic animal and vegetable king- dom, of emperor, nobleman and middle-class, of ehurch, monks and nuns, of mythological repre- sentations which are as adventurous as those of our own Old Testament or those of our Grecian, Roman and Germanic mythology; of legends and stories which at times are exceedingly different from, and at other times ridiculously similar to, the Indo-Germanie tales. The Netsuke, of which this book treats, is a work of art that can only exist once in this world. It is found in Japan only, and like the leaves of the trees, there are never two pieces of it that are alike. But it is not only the original pieces which give one pleasure and satisfaction. The Japanese are such excellent imitators that pieces which are Xili PREFACE undoubtedly copies could readily be taken for first-class works of art. Even those which, al- though marked with a name of the 17th century, have been created some one or two hundred years later are worth owning. It is the object and the artistic execution which attract us, irrespective of whether the work is ‘‘genuine’’ in the sense of art history or not; at any rate it is ‘‘genuine”’ through the spiritualization of material and ‘‘genuine’’ through its technical perfection. ““A thing of beauty is a joy for ever.’ The Netsukes deserve more universal considera- tion than they have been given before the fast moving present generation who still wear them permit them to fall completely into oblivion; and besides, up to this time, hardly anything has been published about them. No complete book on this subject can be written for some time to come, for there are no Europeans who have succeeded in mastering the Japanese and Chinese language and writing, and at the same time are well versed in the mythology, religion, history and legends of the different arts, and above all, of East-Asiatic art. On the other hand, there are no Japanese X1V PREFACE who have sufficiently studied European art his- tory to understand what we require in the way of historical research. H. Seymour-Trower wrote around 1890: ‘A book on Netsukes has yet to be written. The person who can begin and bring to a successful end such a tremendous undertaking, deserves ever- lasting gratitude.’’ This has yet to be done, but as one who has loved these works of art from the very beginning, I am going for the first time to collect and apply all that has been written on the subject, and to tell what I have observed in so far as Lam able. That I am greatly indebted to the authors mentioned in the references quoted goes without saying. Great assistance has been rendered me by the oral explanations of Messrs. Hayashi, Bing and Gonse of Paris, as well as of the Messrs. Okasaki, at that time residing in Leipzig, and to Professor E. Baelz of Tokyo, for his valuable information which enabled me to avoid mistakes that as a layman I would probably have made. Perhaps I may succeed in interesting, in addi- tion to the small circle of Netsuke collectors, some- one who has an artistic inclination for these gems xXV PREFACE of glyptic art. Perhaps someone will make use of Pierre Louys’ saying in reference to my attempt to write this book: ‘‘I am satisfied when, after having read a book, I am able to keep in my memory one sentence that has made me think.’’ I pursued my Japanese studies as a rest from tiresome work, and spent a great many Sundays writing down what I knew, what I had learned and what I had observed. Now the printed book lies before me and looks to me as though it demanded more attention. I regret that I cannot improve upon it nor make it more complete. “‘Non pinaisse sed pingere juvat’’ seems also to be applicable to me. If that which I have compiled as a first attempt, shall stimulate comment, and if because of the criticism of my work the desired book on Netsukes should be produced, nobody will be more pleased than THE AUTHOR. Leipzig, September 2, 1905. PRONUNCIATION—SPELLING Pronunciation. The vowels of the Japanese language are pronounced as in German; 0, u = long o,u. Vowels following one another must be pro- nounced separately; for instance: Susanoo = Susano-o; u at the end of a word, when preceded by ts and s, and at the end of a syllable, is not pro- nounced. For instance: Getsu = Gets. Hoku-sai = Hoksai; Netsu-ke= Netske. The consonants are pronounced as in English, ch = tsch, j = dsch; on the other hand y= German j;z= softs. Spelling. In the names of the Netsuke carvers there is always a hyphen after the signs in order to clearly show the different parts of the names which consist of several syllables. All other names, and the Japanese and Chinese words remain un- separated. I have followed the transcription method of Capt. F. Brinkley, Nanjo and Iwasaki, ‘‘An un- abridged Japanese-English Dictionary’’ (Tokyo, 1896) for the spelling. A. B. XVil — ra NETSUKES CHAPTER I USE AND KINDS OF NETSUKES JAPANESE fashions have in reality remained the same since the eighth century A. D. They are, in principle, the same for men, women and chil- dren, and for all classes. As the greatest part of the Netsuke figures represent clothed human forms, it will be well to proceed, first of all, with a minute description of the Japanese dress, which is based upon information received from Professor EK. Baelz in Tokyo. The principal, and very often the only, piece of clothing worn in summer, is a long dressing gown effect, with a skirt, held around the waist by a girdle, to which the name kimono is often applied, and which is usually made of cotton or silk or of hemp-cloth for summer wear. The kimono reaches to the ankles and does not trail when worn outside of the house. ‘The dress, which is called kaidort 3 4 NETSUKES or uchikake by women of distinction, and shikake by the demi-monde, and which is either embroid- ered or gaily colored, is worn over the kimono and the obi. The complete woman’s costume in the best taste consists of a hip-cloth, a cotton strip wrapped around the body from the waist down to the knees, and tied around the waist with a belt. Then comes first the undershirt reaching from the shoulders to the hips, or else the long shirt which reaches to the ankles. Then comes the kimono itself, which is in the nature of a shirt, a dress with long pocket- armholes, open in front, buttoned from left to right and tied at the waist with a sash. The kimono would trail on the floor were it not that it is gathered around the hips and held there by means of a belt. In this way, as the left side of the kimono is drawn very much over to the right side, the dress becomes very tight around the legs and this makes a free and easy walk impossible; hence the unbecoming, slow and sliding walk of the well- dressed Japanese woman. The kimono consists generally of silk of one and the same color, perferably silk crepe; for young girls it is often made of varied colors and USE AND KINDS OF NETSUKE 5 in the case of young children, the colors worn are often very bright. Red is not considered suitable for grown-up persons. Over the kimono is worn the overskirt. The formal costume in winter includes an un- dershirt, long shirt, and two wadded dresses, made of Habutai silk; their white borders, which cross over the chest, are both visible, and over this comes a kimono of black crepe with the lower border made of colored silk or embroidered. The dresses embroidered in colors which were so generally worn in Europe by the women, and which were used by the ladies of the houses of the Daimyo and Hatamoto as mantles over their girdles, are not the same as the kimono. ‘T'hey were allowed to trail when worn in the house; on the street, however, they were gathered up. The demi-monde generally wear similar dresses. The most striking and the most expensive part of a woman’s attire is the girdle. Itis about four and a half yards long and twelve inches in width, and in some instances made of very heavy gold bro- cade which is folded lengthwise and then turned over. T’o tie an obi is.a very difficult matter, and it is laughable to see a woman, after she has first made 0 NETSU KES a loop on one side, wind herself in the girdle so to speak. She turns herself around several times, until the material is practically used up. Then, with the end that is left and with the help of the loop she made in the first place, and of a soft pad which is inserted, she makes a thing that resembles a pillow or a schoolbag, and which adorns the lower part of the back. For about one hundred years the girdle orna- ment was worn in front, especially by women of high rank and by widows as well as by the demi- monde, who imitated the aristocratic class in an attempt to attract the men by elegance and refine- ment rather than by exposing their physical charms. By girls of the better classes, this orna- ment is also worn perpendicularly and in this case reaches upward to the neck. The slit which is formed by the folds of the girdle all the way round, is used to carry pocket- books, purses, tobacco pouch and pipe. The little case containing paper which is used in- stead of a handkerchief, used to be carried in the dress above the girdle. Both sexes wear stockings with one opening for USE AND KINDS OF NETSUKE 7 the big toe, and, when in the street, sandals made of straw, or very odd clattering shoes. The order in which the male clothing is worn in winter, when there are many layers of clothing, is as follows: a piece of cloth covering the hips, a silk or cotton shirt, a wadded under jacket, an under dress, an over dress and an overcoat. On certain festive occasions the men also wear a kind of silk trousers or rather ‘‘divided skirts’’ and the Samurai wear a stiff three-cornered over dress on festal occasions. The head is mostly uncovered, but persons belonging to the working class some- times have their heads protected by an enormous flat dish-like hat, which is braided out of grass and split bamboo. It is held on the head by means of an Inner ring and tied under the chin with straps. Besides this, large unbrellas made of oilpaper are used as a protection against the hot sun and the frequent showers. The men’s kimono is held together with a girdle four and one half yards long and about six inches wide. The obi is the part of the apparel that interests us most. 'To make the men’s outfit com- plete, there must be added, besides the koshisage, a thing that hangs downward from the hip, a small 8 NETSUKES pipe with a tobacco pouch, a small medicine box and a portable inkstand. All of these articles are carried in the obi either on the right, the left, or on both sides, as the Japanese fashion neither knows pockets in our sense of the word, nor hooks and eyes, needles, buttons and _ buttonholes. Lighter objects are put in the deep bulgy hollows of the arms between the obi and the kimono and are prevented from slipping through by means of an ornament: the Netsuke. The word Ne-tsuke (in Japanese Ne- ae is composed of ne—root, root-wood, and tsuke—to hang, to attach. The spelling and pronunciation ‘*‘Netzki,’’ which is used so frequently, is erroneous. The Netsuke, which remains visible on the upper part of the obi, is tied to a silk string, which passes a few inches farther on through a small button or a slider, ojime, and is tied as closely as possible to the object to which the Netsuke is attached; both are visible below the obi. The ojimes are made of sixty-four different materials and they are put to every practical use and executed in every technique imaginable. The ojime are now being collected and high prices are paid for them. Like the Netsuke, SSeS —S—S—SSSS——=SS== PLATE I 1. Hole Manju, (Ivory). 2. Peg Manju, (Ivory). 3. Ash Container, (Ivory). 4. Two piece Manju, (Ivory). = USE AND KINDS OF NETSUKE 9 they are sometimes marked with the name of the artist. By its special use, and on account of having one or two holes to pass a string through, the Netsuke is distinguished from all those other products of Japanese art, which are of larger size, and meant for ornaments in the bedrooms, called Okimono. It happens occasionally that these little holes do not appear in the Netsuke figures, when, by a certain position of an arm or a leg, a branch, or a pilgrim staff, small openings are formed through which the silk string may be passed. The various objects which are worn with the Netsuke are called Koshisage, (hip appendix,) or Sagemono, (hanging object). The medicine box consists of one or more containers made of wood which are usually covered inside and out with varnish in different colors. Often from three to five boxes are put one inside the other and are air tight. Varnished wood is used on account of its lightness and because it does not break easily, and also because it guarantees the most perfect preser- vation of the restorative which is contained in the box either in the form of pills or powder. These medicine boxes, called Inro, with their IO NETSUKES wealth of form and color, are exceedingly charm- ing and attractive, and therefore the costly favor- ites of many art collectors. Apparently, the well- to-do Japanese possessed a large number of Inro with the accompanying Netsuke, which were worn as the occasion demanded; simple ones for every day wear, and finer, more costly and breakable ones only for special occasions. When not in use, they were preserved in silk cloth and carefully put away in drawers. The writing outfit (Plate X VI, 3) is made either of wood, ivory, bone, or other material. The long piece contains, in its hollowed portion, the writing brush, made of goat, deer, or badger hair, and in the part that resembles a box, cotton saturated with China Ink. The pipe case and the tobacco pouch are usually made of leather, but sometimes of wood, ivory, silk (for women), skin, bronze, shell, and other materials. Their ornamentation as well as that of the head and mouthpiece of the pipe are of iron chased and inlaid with bronze, silver, gold and other kinds of metals. Often-times, instead of the silk cord, a silver chain is used, and the Ojime then consists of a silver four-cornered ring, which is USE AND KINDS OF NETSUKE if securely attached, and the Netsuke for the most part has the shape of the Manju or button. For many years the Netsuke has in most cases been identical with the pipe case (Plate X,4). A piece of very hard wood, or bone or horn, longer than the pipe, is decorated or ornamented with figures, and is arranged to contain the pipe. In the latter case, the tobacco pouch is attached in such a manner that it is visible from under the obi, while the pipe case Netsuke holds the tobacco pouch on the upper part of the obi by means of the silk string. Also the little bag for fire-stone and steel, as well as the tobacco pouch with lighting material and a purse for keys, money, signet and die, were carried in the girdle until the beginning of the 18th cen- tury when a kind of wallet or bag came into fashion. But in spite of this new idea, the pilgrim continued and still continues to carry his flask, the entomologist his beetle cage, the fisherman his fish basket, and the Liukiu Islander his dagger (Plate XI, 1) on the girdle by means of a Netsuke. Finally, a small box containing cosmetics is some- times carried, and by modern people a smelling bottle (Plate XIII, 5) in the form of a small bottle 12 NETSUKES gourd. At times, a single Netsuke serves to attach — both the Inro and the purse. Since the beginning of the 16th century, the Netsuke has been the in- dispensable signet of the Japanese. Some Netsukes have been found that have no name carved on the underside, and which probably had been made in advance to be kept as stock on hand; and there are many that bear the family names, or the name of the artist who produced the object, or the name of the person who ordered the Netsuke, printed in heavy legible seal writing. Nevertheless, these signet-netsukes are exceptions as compared with the majority of real Netsukes. Also compasses, (Plate VIII, 1) ashcontainers, (Plate I), and flint and steels, (Plate V, 1), are made as Netsukes, so made that they can be used as ornaments with the purse or tobacco implements attached to form a complete set. A rare art object is the belt-clasp, a Netsuke con- sisting of a piece of bone, ivory, tortoise shell, or wood in the form of a C. which is used to fasten the purse, both ends of which either appear above and under the sash or are simply slipped on to it. In view of the fact that the Japanese art pro- ductions always have a certain practical purpose, USE AND KINDS OF NETSUKE 13 it is not surprising that the Netsukes in many in- stances are also used as signet, compass, ash con- tainer or flint and steel, pipe-case or baskets for miscellaneous articles. Some physicians carried Netsukes which were used to hold medicines, and others to contain a small writing brush. The well- known lacquered Box-Netsukes are containers for all kinds of pleasant, useful or ornamental objects. Brockhous has in his collection a Dutch watch case which measures seven cm. in diameter and which serves the same useful purpose. It is made of pierced gilded bronze, with a plant design border, and on the two surfaces are engraved Dutch landscapes. Its new use is very appro- priate in that it is equipped with a Japanese black and brown cover, which bears in embossed silver work the Chinese-Japanese signs representing the name of the owner, a famous wrestler. Instead of using the two holes ordinarily meant for the watch key, the original handle has been placed in the middle of the case. As the Japanese only learnt to know the pocket- watch for the first time in the 17th century, natu- rally a Japanese name for it was lacking. The author of the Soken Kisho (1781) describes a 14 NETSUKES watch to the people of his country as a ‘‘ Netsuke which is worn by the Dutch people and is so ‘com- plicated’ that the cleverest of Netsuke-carvers can- not imitate it. Its ticking stops when it is violent- ly shaken. Instead you should hold it by you and play with it and admire its wonderful works. It is imported from a Dutch island by the name of Suzeriya, whose inhabitants are expert astrono- mers. The Frenchmen also manufacture these Netsuke-watches. Beware of imitations.”’ From the earliest ages until the present time two different varieties of Netsukes have been made: first the flat objects, and then the figures. These flat Netsukes are called Manju after the little round cakes, made in the form of a button or Kagamibuta, and are flat button-shaped and pro- vided with a metal disk. Only the Netsukes made in the forms of persons, animals or objects are described in detail in this book. Combinations of both kinds are not rare. ‘There are turtles with a removable portion of the shell to which is attached the string that is then passed down through the body. Dragons coiled in circles, and flat-curled snakes were made whose windings and position render unnecessary the making of the opening 5 PuatE LTI—OCCUPATIONS 1. Wood Carver, (wood). 2. Cook, (ivory). 3. Women beating bolt of cloth, (wood). 4. Mother washing baby, (ivory). 5. Fisherman hauling net, (ivory). , f 7 r ‘ 4 ) ; Cal “ y \ “ USE AND KINDS OF NETSUKE is through which ordinarily the string is passed, (Plate XIIT, 3). The flat Manjus can be divided into three classes. Those with holes, (Plate I, 1), those with pegs, (Plate I, 2), and those which are formed of two parts (Plate I, 3). The first class consists of a piece of ivory, wood, horn, or agate, executed in pierced work, bas re- lef or with sunken relief work on one or both sides. Hither one hole is made in the middle of the button, which unites the upper and lower parts, or two holes are pierced horizontally on the under- neath part. The Manjus belonging to the second class are made of a piece of wood, lacquer, ivory, or metal, through the center of which a loose nail, usually made out of the same material as the Manju, is driven. The head of the nail prevents it from sliding through the hole. At the point of this nail, is a hole or a hook for the string. The top or upper side of these Manjus is decorated with a bas-relief or an etched design. The Manjus of the third class are composed of two hollow disks with flattened edges, which fit to- gether like a box, and when put together form a 16 NETSUKES button. On the upper part is a hook or eye, in the under parta hole. These are generally finished in gold or red lacquer, wood or ivory, with etched de- signs, lacquer relief, carving or incrustation. Many of the Manjus do not bear the name of the artist as they were in many instances manufac- tured for the trade. Nevertheless, among the second and third class, there are a large number that bear either on the inside or the outside well known names. Besides these Manjus, there are other Netsukes in the form of buttons. They consist of two parts, a round or sometimes a four cornered piece of ivory with a removable setting in the form of a German Thaler, and made of the same material. They are named after the round Japanese mirror. The setting is of decorated iron, in high or bas relief, intaglio, pierced work, engraving, rusting, chased work, damascened, and in silver, gold, incrusted mother of pearl, polished stone, coral, ete. To the setting is attached an eye to fasten the silk string, while the head piece is provided with a hole underneath to pull the string through. These are not made by carving masters, but by metal work masters who were accustomed to do USE AND KINDS OF NETSUKE Ly. work for the classes carrying swords, and who were in the habit of working in similar metals, in the manufacturing of knife handles, sword blades, hilts, ete. Two more Netsukes of a peculiar kind may be mentioned here, the small chest, for the most part Square with rounded corners which can also have the shape of a small ship with a removable cover and which, through the addition of eyes and holes, resemble the Manjus of the third class; and the Ash container Netsuke, (Plate I, 4). CHAPTER IT THE CARVING OF NETSUKES THE material used to make Netsukes is much more diversified than can possibly be imagined. The most important consideration, next to the pos- sibility of performing the work with knives and scrapers, is the density of the materials as well as their uniformity. From the vegetable kingdom are used: various kinds of wood, bamboo, gourds, thick shelled nuts and nutshell. Wood of peculiar forms, even uncut, or parts of famous trees under which, it is said, a hero has rested, pleasant smelling wood like sandal or camphor, wood coated with varnish, lacquer, and amber, peach stones. There are also Netsukes that are made by plaiting the fibre of the Spanish cane or of Wisteria vine. From the animal kingdom are used: Ivory, wal- rus tooth, boar and other animal teeth, thigh bones of larger game, deer antlers, buffalo horns from India, and antelope horns, which are used a great 18 THE CARVING OF NETSUKES Ig deal. Narwhal tusk, which resembles alabaster, is also used and in the middle ages, the Japanese thought this was the horn of the unicorn, a certain remedy against poison and more expensive than gold. But the bones of unedible domestic animals such as fowls, oxen, or horses are not utilized. The domestic pig was, until very recently, unknown. It appears that the art of carving tortoise shell was introduced into Nagasaki from China in the 17th century. Imitation tortoise shell has, since olden times, been produced in absolute perfection from horses hoofs or horn. Even fish bones, mussels, mother of pearl, beaks of toucans ete. are used. Rare but highly valued are the Netsukes made of the skull of cranes. These are used for the Uzume and Shojo figures, the red spots on the side of the skull representing red hair. Some say that the material which was sold by cunning dealers as bones of mermaids appears to have been the lower jaw of the shark. From the mineral kingdom: Coral, soapstone, nephrite, agate, onyx, rock-crystal, malachite, silver, gold, copper, iron, glass, enameled or var- nished clay, multi-colored or painted porcelain, eloisonné, chiseled metal, tin, stained bronze and 20 NETSUKES the peculiar metals named Shibuichi, Shakudo, and Sentoku. . These latter, because of their many wonderful rust processes, are especially interest- ing. The composition of the two first ones, accord- ing to Kalischer and Anderson, and of the third, according to Roberts, Austen and Wingham, is as follows: SHIBUICHI (Grey Rust) Per Cent. Copper: 2.) ae 51.10-67.31 Silvery 220s Oe eee 48,93-32.07 Golds. ee A Se ee 0.12-trace aeads ss 2. ee 0.25 Fron.vn'y Mone ee a trace 100.15-99.90 SHAKUDO (Black Rust) Pattee Copper. vi. ¥ 5. on ee 99.04-94.50 Silver'e ss Ske ae 0.29- 1.55 Gold is ea 0.49- 3.73 Lead oe 0.11 Tron, ‘Arsenic: 40.5 22. acne a trace 99.82-99.89 THE CARVING OF NETSUKES 21 SENTOKU (pale yellow bronze) Per Cent. RM CM en ns fA eS ae as 72.32 Re eee ER aa oe 13.10 Oy ES AR ee ea fet i I ie Osis oid ta bine see 6.22 Reeroeiniemuth, Nickel 0.0 fi. ce. ee ee 0.23 100.00 Wood is most generally used for Netsukes. The wooden Netsukes were made long before ivory was used and the artistic taste with which they are executed is far superior to that of Netsukes made of ivory. The work is often finer, more sugges- tive, and warmer. ‘The finely polished old Tsuge- Netsukes, rendered very brown by time, are now considered by the collectors worth their weight in gold, whereas formerly, when Netsukes first be- came known in Kurope, the ivory ones were more valued. ‘*‘Worth their weight in gold’’ is to be understood as meaning that the price of a beauti- ful Netsuke very often brings in gold ten times its weight in wood. Boxwood is used for very expen- sive pieces. It is extraordinarily hard, yellowish 22 NETSU KES and has such dense grain, that it almost possesses the properties of bronze. This makes it possible for the carver to attain high perfection in his work. Mahogany colored sandal wood, which is imported from China and dyed black, likewise gives wonder- ful results. The wood of dates or lotus palms is also exceedingly hard. The kernel wood becomes a dark peach color with age. This color can also be artificially produced by burying it in an iron pot containing earth. Ebony, which is imported from China, is also used. Mi-wa made use of this dense and heavy ebony, so that the Japanese consider it one of the proofs of the genuineness of a ‘‘Mi-wa’’ when the Netsuke sinks in water. But the Japanese are said to have a way of changing the specific weight of a Netsuke which cannot be detected. Other author- ities state that Mi-wa preferred cherry wood to box-tree wood. The carvers also make use of the wood of the Japanese medlar tree, which is hard and solid; oak, the timber which is used for the pillars in all Japanese houses. The ‘‘fire-wood’’ which is em- ployed in obtaining fire by friction has a very agreeable odor and is so perfect that the carvers Puate ITI—WILD ANIMALS 1. Tiger, (ivory). 2. Lion, (ivory). 3. Elephant, (Lacquered wood). 4, Wild Dog, (ivory). 5. Deer, (ivory). THE CARVING OF NETSUKES 23 prefer it to any other kind of wood. That expen- Sive striped, veined wood of fine hard grain called Tagaysan is of Chinese origin. The famous carver Matsu-da Suke-Naga suc- ceeded in putting to good usage the natural spots of the famous water pines of the province of Hida without adding color. The light wood formed the groundwork for costly lacquer pieces. Beautiful old wood, which becomes harder as it gets older, has an unmistakable smooth polish and a rich color. This appearance of the wood is of great importance in distinguishing good antique from bad modern Netsukes. The latter, carved of softer wood, are stained so as to make them appear old. The easiest way of proving the genuineness of a wooden Netsuke is to cut a sliver from the bottom of one of the Netsuke holes. If the damage caused thereby shows clearly through the magnifying glass, it is certain that the Netsuke is not made out of heavy, hard and unstained wood. In former days the wooden Netsukes were painted several times, then covered with thin var- nish, and afterwards, to complete the work, beauti- fully polished. LHven today, gay-colored Netsukes are often prepared as in olden times, but these are 24 NETSUKES of very inferior workmanship and are probably intended for children’s Inros. In order to give an old, dirty, dust-covered wooden Netsuke its original polish, it is sufficient to brush it thorough- ly and rub it with a silk cloth. For cleaning as well as restoring the lustre and also for the better preservation of a good old Netsuke, it 1s well to cover it with a thin solution of wax or varnish, let it dry for about two days, then remove the super- fluous wax with a piece of feather-quill and brush the Netsuke with a fine watchmaker’s brush until the original gloss is restored. If the polish dis- appears again in the course of time, it only need be rubbed with silk cloth. Another way to clean Netsukes is by rubbing them with a fine piece of cotton saturated with quick-drying linseed oil and then polishing with silk. Next to wood, preference is given by the carver to fine grained ivory. As the elephant is not native to Japan, it has been necessary to import ivory from China and Korea. Before the 17th century, fossil ivory from the Siberian mammoths was used. This is especially dense and heavy and as- sumes an even, soft, light brown tone. Ivory Netsukes of a later period, in order to give them THE CARVING OF NETSUKES 25 a nicer and antique appearance, are artificially colored. Almost all the ivory imported into Japan during the last century was used for Netsuke carv- ing. Much to the grief of the archeologist, it can- not be denied that a great many old black-brown ivory Buddhas and Saints from distant temples have found their way into the hands of the Netsuke carver, who is willing to pay high prices for the best material. In more modern times ivory has been used almost exclusively, good and bad, brownish and white. Frequently ivory dust is mixed with a peculiar kind of cement, and pressed into forms copied from famous old Netsukes. Only an expert connoisseur can detect these falsifications. The outlines of hair, clothes, patterns and other parts, which appear as lines, are blackened with sulphate of iron, or etched with nitric acid, while green coloring is produced by copper vitriol. Vegetable wax is used as covering. Also the good, fine, antique ivory Netsukes are corroded or col- ored with the juice of berries, the colors running from light yellow to gold yellow. This distin- guishes them to good advantage from the cold, milk-white European carvings. Also the color on 206 NETSU KES the front side of the object, which is exposed to sunlight or weather conditions, is fainter than its reverse side. Some artists, however, used ivory in its natural state. The cleaning of ivory Netsukes is done with soap and water. After drying, they are rubbed with a silk cloth and put in the sun, in order to regain the peculiar, transparent milk-like gloss. The very careful application of a solution of Viennese lime and spirits is recommended, which should be rubbed off after drying with a woolen cloth until the surface becomes bright. Almost all objects in lacquer are made in the following manner: sixty layers of fine varnish (from Rhus vernix) are put on a surface of hard polished wood, iron, ivory, porcelain, even mother of pearl, tortoise shell, or egg shell. Each layer is dried in an oven for from twelve to twenty-four hours, hardened and then polished with pulverized charcoal of Magnolia or Lagerstroemia. This proc- ess, on account of the continuous drying and pol- ishing, requires weeks, months and even years to complete the work. TIor coloring, the lacquer is mixed with colors such as cinnabar, cochineal, chrome yellow, indigo, or else the colors are mixed THE CARVING OF NETSUKES 27 with the pulverized camel charcoal which is used for polishing. Gold lacquer is produced from pul- verized gold or from the pulverized metal of gold coins, which are composed of ten parts gold and two and six-tenths parts silver. Silver varnish is made out of pulverized silver. Oilis only used for modern lacquer work, as this liquid impairs the durability of the work. Quin mentions two hun- dred varieties of lacquer. The most important for Netsukes are the following kinds: red varnish; vermilion red varnish; black varnish; several layers of carved varnish, various colors; engraved, gilded varnish; gold dust varnish; gold or silver mosaic; gold bas-relief; gold high-relief; and pol- ished varnish. White and purple lacquer was not used until recently. It is a fact that the old varnish is so durable and firm that it does not sustain any damage from being left in water for a long time. After a ship- wreck in 1873, a wonderful collection of lacquered objects which was being returned to Japan after having been exhibited at the World’s Exposition in Vienna, was left at the bottom of the sea for a year anda half. When resalvaged, the old lacquer was 28 NETSUKES found undamaged, while the modern pieces were but a jellied mass. The first great lacquer artist lived in 1290. It appears that at the end of the 15th century the carving of red and black lacquer was introduced into Japan from China. The carving of layers of lacquer one upon another, in different colors, is ac- complished in a most wonderfully skilful manner ; carvings of various depths are made which show the different varnish colors, the deepest cuts, which are made in a V shape, showing all the layers separately. | Netsukes which consist entirely of lacquer without any wooden foundation, were made much later, and to this present day are exe- cuted in a very artistic fashion. Lacquer Netsukes are cleaned with a cotton cloth moistened with lin- seed oil, which possesses the property of drying quickly, and then polished with paper or silk. There are also Netsukes in metal, very beauti- ful ones being made in pure gold and silver, as well as in iron, copper, brass, shakudo, shibuichi, and sentoku. Metal Netsukes can be cleaned like all other articles made of metal, by holding them for five minutes in a receptacle filled with one-quarter of a liter of hot water, in which has been dissolved THE CARVING OF NETSUKES 29 a very small amount of potash. Then they are rinsed in hot water, until free of all dirt and rust. One of the most wonderful accomplishments of Japanese art is the use of different materials in one and the same object. On a fungus of wood, for instance, is a snail-shell made of horn, towards which a golden ant is creeping, while an iron beetle is approaching the leaflets of the fungus. Ivory heads and hands on wooden figures are not at all unusual, or eyes made of different color material. So skilfully and easily does the Japanese handle his material, that he even deceives the well trained eye of the art lover. A piece which looks like clay is actually varnish, and that which appears to be wood or bronze may be clay or ivory. While Europeans are in the habit of working from a model, a copy of which is always before their eyes, the Japanese sculptor works as a rule by free hand without any model. The best Netsuke- carvers were original workers. Other artists by close observation of the object which. they have selected for their model, were able to make repro- ductions from memory. ‘The Japanese artist ob- serves an object until he has memorized the out- lines, the dimensions of the parts, and the propor- 30 NETSUKES tion of the movements, and finally completes the — work by free hand with brush, graving tools, knives or scrapers. It seems astonishing, especially to Europeans who are accustomed to all kinds of drawing para- phernalia, to see with what assurance the Japanese artist grasps an outline or a form and reproduces it by free hand, portraying every motion. He sur- passes all people of ancient and modern times in his wonderful ability for reproduction.