Rare Book Collecting Japanese Netsuke In addition to a concise text which describes the Japanese netsuke, its origin and development, and the materials netsuke are made of, this book illustrates 30 black-and-white examples of netsuke objects of art. Each photograph has an accompanying in-depth description of the item.

AN INTRODUCTION TO NETSUKE by Raymond Bushell, Charles E. Tuttle Co., 1971 First Edition.

'Netsuke artists have carved an imperishable niche for themselves in the hearts of collectors and connoisseurs everywhere. Among the many Japanese objets d'art, few have aroused greater admiration than the netsuke. This miniature piece of Japanese sculpture, approximately 1.5 in. in size, was designed (in the absence of pockets and kimonos) as an aid in suspending articles such as tobacco pouches from the sash of the kimono. It developed in ancient times as a utilitarian object, but became in the 16th century an artistic one as well, and flourished as such until 1926. No longer commonly worn, the netsuke is now a collector's item, avidly sought throughout the world by those sensitive to its qualities.' Whether a novice or advanced collector, dealer, or historian of collectible netsuke, this book will be a valuable addition to your permanent reference library. Please check our eBay store for a large selection of out-of-print reference books on Oriental antique ceramics, snuff bottles, netsuke, etc.

5.25 in. x 7.4 in. hardback with dust cover in near-new condition. 79 pages.

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Scarce Book Antique Japanese Netsuke / Marks Profusely illustrated in color and mostly black-and-white, this early out-of-print book is a definitive guide to the study of Japanese netsuke. 'Among the many Japanese ‘objets d’art’ that found their way to the Western World after Japan’s long emergence – just a century ago – from her long seclusion, few aroused greater admiration than the netsuke. These miniature sculptures, principally in ivory and wood, captivated collectors with charm of their conception, the intricacy of their detail, and the sheer tactile pleasure to be experienced in handling them.'

NETSUKE by F.M. Jonas, Charles E. Tuttle, Co.1928/1971.

'One of the first collectors to produce a comprehensive study of the netsuke was F.M. Jonas, whose authoritative work – regrettably long out of print and extremely difficult to obtain – is now being reissued for the pleasure of all who admire the exquisite artistry of the netsuke carvers. As Mr. Jonas points out in his preface, his object is to put at the disposal of the netsuke collectors a short account of their history and some explanation of the subjects they portray, as well as to supply a guide for determining the names of the carvers and the periods in which they worked. One of the chief attractions of this book is its impressive set of illustrations. These consist of fifty-five photographic plates – nine of them in color – picturing a total of 214 netsuke, ranging from the late 17th to the late 19th century. Also shown are a number of "inro," the medicine or seal boxes to which the netsuke were attached to serve as pendants or toggles. The illustrations together with the exhaustive appendix listing the known netsuke carvers, metal workers, and makers of inro, provide invaluable information for both collectors and students.'

6.1 in. x 8.5 in. hardback with dust cover in very good+ condition. 185 pages plus photo plates.

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Rare Book Collectible Antique Japanese Netsuke / Marks Profusely illustrated in color and black-and-white, this scarce out-of-print book provides a definitive survey of antique Japanese netsuke including maker’s marks. 'This book organizes for the first time in easy reference form the assorted bits and pieces of information included in earlier books about netsuke.'

NETSUKE – A GUIDE FOR COLLECTORS by Mary Louise O’Brien, Charles E. Tuttle Co. Vermont, 1965 First Edition.

The narrative of this book is in-depth and covers by chapter: Ch. 1 - Introduction; Ch. 2 - Types of Netsuke (Principal Types, Katabori, Manju, Kagami-buta, Ryusa, Hako, Masks, Sashi, and Icheraku, Functional Netsuke; Trick Netsuke); Ch. 3 - Material, Techniques and Standards (Materials and Techniques, Wood, Ivory, Bone and Horn, Lacquer, Metal, Ceramics, Nutshells, Colored Netsuke) and Standards; Ch. 4 - Subject Material (Landscapes, Living Creatures, Familiar Objects, Natural and Man-Made, Historical Characters and Events, Folklore and Theater, Precepts and Axioms, Games, Toys, Musical Instruments, Occupations, Signs of the Zodiac, and Reflection of Foreign Intrusion); Ch. 5 - Netsuke Makers; Ch.6 – Types of Collecting; Ch. 7 – Problems and Challenges of Collecting; Appendix – A List of Netsuke Carvers and Glossary-Index. 145 illustrations depict these tiny carvings with captioned identification. This scholarly study will benefit both the novice and advanced collector of Japanese netsuke.

8.7 in. x 8.1 in. hardback with dust cover in near-new condition. 245 pages.

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Rare Book 100 ea. Antique Japanese Netsuke Descriptions This rare book contains one hundred color photographs of Japanese netsuke with in-depth descriptions.

THE WONDERFUL WORLD OF NETSUKE by Raymond Bushell, Charles E. Tuttle Co., Inc., Vermont, 1964/1975.

"With one hundred masterpieces of miniature sculpture in color," this early out-of-print book provides a wealth of information on the identification of Japanese netsuke. The in-depth captions provide information on material, maker, date, dimensions, and a complete description of the item illustrated. Wonderfully illustrated, this hard-to-find book belongs in the permanent reference library of the collector, dealer, or historian of Oriental objects of art.

6.3 in. x 9.2 in. hardback in very good condition. 71 pages.

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Japanese Netsuke 700 Photos incl. Marks / In-Depth Book Lavishly illustrated in color, this comprehensive, out-of-print book pictures and describes over 350 antique Japanese netsuke including black-and-white photographs of their marks.

COLLECTORS’ NETSUKE comes from the noted expert Raymond Bushell, published by Weatherhill, N.Y. & Tokyo, 1971/1986.

The author intends to expand the study of netsuke carvings by focusing on 'copies and copying, age and authenticity, commercialism, identification of signatures, and criteria for judging potential purchases,' issues that are placed in relation to appropriate carvers rather than being discussed in abstraction. 79 representative carvers throughout history and from various regions illustrate the author’s points. Nearly 700 photos, clearly displaying 354 selected netsuke make this a great introduction for the novice collector while the inclusion of numerous carvers’ signatures will serve as a valuable identification guide for the advanced collector. Throughout this fine book, the author’s ability to share excitement about the aesthetic values of netsuke, and to remain also on a practical level useful for collectors, ensures that this volume will make an invaluable addition to the reference library of the student, dealer, collector or curator of Japanese netsuke.

8 in. x 10.5 in. hardback with dust cover in near-new condition . 199 pages.

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Antique Japanese Netsuke incl. Marks / Scarce Book 202 black-and-white and 24 color captioned photographs, an in-depth index to netsuke carvers and their signatures, and a comprehensive text combine to make this rare out-of-print book an invaluable resource reference. 1,342 carvers are identified including names, dates, signatures, and more when known. The photographs 'represent a wide variety of outstanding and representative netsuke and thus form a panorama of netsuke history in which all types appear – from the early and comparatively simple to the late and more intricate.'

THE NETSUKE HANDBOOK OF UEDA REIKICHI adapted from the Japanese by Raymond Bushell, Charles E. Tuttle Co., Vermont, 1961/1976.

This in-depth text covers by chapter: Netsuke as Related to the History of Sculpture; The Netsuke and Its Types; The Origin and development of Netsuke; Netsuke with Secondary Functions; Netsuke and the Tobacco Pouch; Netsuke Materials (Wood, Ivory and Horn, Metal and Porcelain, Lacquer and Other Materials); Netsuke Subjects and Designs; The Netsuke Artists; The Regional Characteristics of Netsuke (The Kansai Area, the Edo Area, The Chukyo Area, and Other Districts); The Appreciation of Netsuke; The Decline of the Netsuke; The Export of Netsuke; Observations on Netsuke Periods (Early Period, Middle Period, and Late Period); Literature on Netsuke and Netsuke Collectors; Reminiscences of Netsuke Carvers; An Index of Netsuke Carvers; Bibliography; Glossary-Index. One of the most comprehensive treatments of the subject, this book is an indispensable reference for the serious collector, dealer, or historian of Japanese netsuke.

6.25 in. x 9.2 in. hardback with dust cover in very good condition. 325 pages.

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Scarce Book 1,000 Antique Japanese Netsuke Illustrated in color and mostly black-and-white, this scarce out-of-print book provides an in-depth pictorial survey of approximately 1,000 antique Japanese netsuke.

NETSUKE – The Netsuke Collection of the Peabody Museum of Salem by Lisa A. Edwards and Margie M. Krebs, Peabody Museum of Salem, MA, 1980.

Approximately 1,000 Japanese netsuke are pictured in color and black-and-white with identifying captions. Each caption includes name terse description, dimension, maker and date when known. This book covers by chapter: Introduction; Deities and Demons; Folk Tales; People; Masks; Animals; Plants; Replicas of Made-Made Objects; Functional Netsuke; Decorative Netsuke; Sagemono; Shop Signs; Bibliography; Appendix 1: Artists represented by signatures in the collection; and Index-Glossary. A typical museum text, the narrative is concisely rich and the photography is superb. This is an indispensable book for the collector, dealer, or historian of Japanese netsuke.

8.5 in. x 11 in. softback in very good condition. 160 pages.

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Rare Book Collectible Japanese Netsuke 40 black-and-white plates and 12 color photographs illustrate approximately 250 Japanese netsuke, 'Making what we believe must be one of the most varied and beautiful collections of netsuke photographs yet published.'

THE NETSUKE OF JAPAN – Legends, History, Folklore and Customs by Egerton Ryerson, Castle Books, NY, 1958 First Edition.

'Anyone who knows how rich in variety, beauty, strangeness and humor netsuke are will realize how fascinating a picture gallery it is and how remarkable are some of the stories and other subjects they illustrate. These subjects range from the everyday to the sublime, from the gay to the macabre. Among them are plants, insects, birds, animals, incidents, and characters from history and legend, skulls, ghosts, signs of the zodiac, dances, musical instruments, games, trades and professions. They represent a nation’s life and thought in microcosm. Old Japan carried a miniature of itself at its girdle.'

This in-depth book covers by chapter: Netsuke and Their Makers; Chinese Stories (Sennin and Other Mythological Characters; Legends and History; and Twenty-four Paragons); Japanese Legends and History; Fairy and Folk Tales; Gods, Saints and Demons; Mythical Creatures, Animals and Plants; Dances, Musical Instruments and Games; Activities, Objects, etc.; Pronunciation of Japanese Words; Glossary; Names, Bibliography; and Index. "An authoritative book for collectors, students of art, of Japan and of folklore."

8.9 in. x 10.25 in. hardback with dust cover in very good condition. 88 pages.

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