The Carving of Netsukes

The material used to make Netsukes is much more diversified than can possibly be imagined. There are also Netsukes that are made by plaiting the fibre of the Spanish cane or of Wisteria vine. 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. In former days the wooden Netsukes’ were painted several times, and then covered with thin varnish, and afterwards, to complete the work, beautifully polished. Frequently ivory dust is mixed with a peculiar kind of cement, and pressed into forms copied from famous old Netsukes. Ivory Netsukes of a later period, in order to give them a nicer and antique appearance, are artificially colored. Almost all the ivory imported into Japan during the last century was used for Netsuke carving. The cleaning of ivory Netsukes is done with soap and water.