Ivory Panda Netsuke with Carved Jade Brooch

I love this business! I am always coming across something new, and never ceasing to learn. This is a piece I came across at an antique fair and thought it was really special. Since then I have found out what a treasure it is. An artist at some point has turned this 17 century hand carved ivory piece into a brooch by adding a piece of carved jade to the back. Let me explain each part of this brooch.



For starters, the jade disc looks hand tooled and has a brass disc on the back that identifies it. The disc is covered by the pin and new artist signed plaque. The pin back itself is an old piece, but the plaque looks newer. I would guess about the 1960's.



The hand carved ivory Nesuke is also signed by the Japanese artist. From my research, the panda is a very unusual motif. It has holes at either end for the silk cord that held it to the sash. What is a Netsuke? Netsuke--Japanese called nets'keh - small carving serving as a toggle. Netsuke date back to the 17th Century. They became extremely popular in Europe towards the end of the 19th Century. This coincided with the Japanese adopting the suit and its pockets and with oriental artifacts being very much in vogue with buyers in Western Europe.



Netsuke served both functional and aesthetic purposes. The traditional Japanese dress, the kimono had no pockets. The robes were hung together by a broad sash (obi), so items that were needed to be carried were held on a cord tucked under the sash. The hanging objects (sagemono) were secured with carved toggles (netsuke). A sliding bead (ojime) was strung on the cord between the netsuke and the sagemono to tighten or loosen the opening of the sagemono. The best known accessory was the inro, usually made of wood coated in lacquer decorated with gold and silver inlays, was a small box used by the wealthy for carrying medicines and seals. The box was layered with two to seven tiers that could contain various small objects, and held together by braided silk cords which ran vertically through the many layers. Keeping these braided cords together was an ojime or bead, which finally ended in a toggle piece called a netsuke. Ojime and netsuke were crafted out of wood, ivory, ceramic, or metal. The netsuke was tucked under the obi and helped to suspend the inro below. Through human nature, these elements began to serve as more than just their utilitarian use, they became expressions of the artist who created them and the individual taste of the wearer.



Although the Japanese did not have jewelry in the Western sense of the word, they most certainly knew about craftsmanship, artistry, decoration, and adornment. These small sets of accessories became highly refined and reflected great sophistication. Rarely are the inro suites found intact with their matching components. In the world of Japanese art there are collectors who are drawn to the exquisite beauty of the Netsuke which are collected for their sculptural nature and ingenious miniature designs. Function provided the stage upon which Japanese artists could perform their magic.

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