DOI Heft:
No. 10 (January, 1894)
DOI Artikel:Gilbertson, Edward: The art of collecting, [1]: Japanese netsukes
DOI Seite / Zitierlink: https://doi.org/10.11588/diglit.17189#0141
Japanese Netsnkes
teenth century; Seimin (orShomin), figures, chiefly A new method, which is called ''the gold and
in ivory ; Shibayama, inlaying on ivory, and Shusen, silver process," is mentioned by the Canadian
figures, in wood, both nineteenth century; Tomo- Photographic Journal, in the course of an article
chika and Tomotada, animals, both in wood and upon Japanese photographs. This process, " un-
ivory; Toyomasa, dragons and figure subjects in known outside the atelier where it is applied," was
wood, eighteenth century. shown at Chicago, where a portrait of Her Majesty
Some of the small lacquered netsukes, generally in gold and a landscape in silver were commended
representing personages of the No dances, are very by the writer, who gives no details of the novelty,
beautiful objects, both the carving and lacquering The same article praises, as peculiarly harmonious
being excellent. They are rarely signed,
but the higher class ones are carved by
men like Jugioku and others of the
netsuke makers of the eighteenth century,
but most of the modern ones are coarse
and of inferior quality. The good ones
are rather rare and high-priced.
Few persons seem to have directed
their attention to the Kagamibuta and
Manju netsukes, although among them
one finds very fine examples of chasing
and engraving in gold and silver, by
eminent masters, of ivory carving, and
of lacquer, especially of carved lacquer.
The lacquer has often the signature of
wire makers like the Komas, the Kaji-
kawas, Szc, and the inlaid ivory, that of
the Shibayamas. There are of course
many netsukes of no artistic value, but
which are worth collecting as illustra-
tions of the mythology, history, and folk-
lore of the Japanese. As an aid to the
selection of these, I know of no work so
useful to a collector as Huish's " Japan
and its Arts," more especially as it treats
briefly of all the collateral arts. Of this
I feel sure, that every lover of art who
begins making a collection of netsukes,
will find his interest in them, and his
admiration of them, grow with the
growth of knowledge and experience.
He will hardly regret having in his
earlier time to pay for acquiring his special know- for use with photographs, a frame in brown
ledge, for the mistakes he then made will have lacquer, showing a leaf scroll in its transparent
taught him how to look for and to appreciate the depths. Hitherto little, or at least insufficient
combination of manual skill and artistic feeling attention has been paid to the frames of silver-
that characterise these fascinating little works, which prints, platinotypes, and bromides, that any artistic
we have been discussing here. E. G. and novel treatment would be a welcome innovation.
from a modern japanese CARVrNG
from a carving in the collection of mr. h. bloomfield barr. (in the " arts and
crafts magazine," philadelphia)
i 29
teenth century; Seimin (orShomin), figures, chiefly A new method, which is called ''the gold and
in ivory ; Shibayama, inlaying on ivory, and Shusen, silver process," is mentioned by the Canadian
figures, in wood, both nineteenth century; Tomo- Photographic Journal, in the course of an article
chika and Tomotada, animals, both in wood and upon Japanese photographs. This process, " un-
ivory; Toyomasa, dragons and figure subjects in known outside the atelier where it is applied," was
wood, eighteenth century. shown at Chicago, where a portrait of Her Majesty
Some of the small lacquered netsukes, generally in gold and a landscape in silver were commended
representing personages of the No dances, are very by the writer, who gives no details of the novelty,
beautiful objects, both the carving and lacquering The same article praises, as peculiarly harmonious
being excellent. They are rarely signed,
but the higher class ones are carved by
men like Jugioku and others of the
netsuke makers of the eighteenth century,
but most of the modern ones are coarse
and of inferior quality. The good ones
are rather rare and high-priced.
Few persons seem to have directed
their attention to the Kagamibuta and
Manju netsukes, although among them
one finds very fine examples of chasing
and engraving in gold and silver, by
eminent masters, of ivory carving, and
of lacquer, especially of carved lacquer.
The lacquer has often the signature of
wire makers like the Komas, the Kaji-
kawas, Szc, and the inlaid ivory, that of
the Shibayamas. There are of course
many netsukes of no artistic value, but
which are worth collecting as illustra-
tions of the mythology, history, and folk-
lore of the Japanese. As an aid to the
selection of these, I know of no work so
useful to a collector as Huish's " Japan
and its Arts," more especially as it treats
briefly of all the collateral arts. Of this
I feel sure, that every lover of art who
begins making a collection of netsukes,
will find his interest in them, and his
admiration of them, grow with the
growth of knowledge and experience.
He will hardly regret having in his
earlier time to pay for acquiring his special know- for use with photographs, a frame in brown
ledge, for the mistakes he then made will have lacquer, showing a leaf scroll in its transparent
taught him how to look for and to appreciate the depths. Hitherto little, or at least insufficient
combination of manual skill and artistic feeling attention has been paid to the frames of silver-
that characterise these fascinating little works, which prints, platinotypes, and bromides, that any artistic
we have been discussing here. E. G. and novel treatment would be a welcome innovation.
from a modern japanese CARVrNG
from a carving in the collection of mr. h. bloomfield barr. (in the " arts and
crafts magazine," philadelphia)
i 29