The Wonderful World of Netsuke

By: Raymond Bushell

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Synopsis: 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 tinymasterpieces 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 suspendedby a cord from the obi. Originally primitive in design, they soon became moreand more sophisticated, and their makers turned increasingly to the legendry of Japan for their subject matter. It is with these masterpieces in miniaturethat 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 Japanese manners, customs, history, legends, andsuperstitions. 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.