Sashi-Netsuke in the Form of a Fish

Sashi-Netsuke in the Form of a Fish is held by Badisches Landesmuseum Karlsruhe (Germany). Description supplied by the holding institution: The netsuke is a so-called sashi-netsuke in the form of a fish.

The starting material, wood, is partially covered with dried fish skin ("same"). The head is made of light horn, the fins and other details are executed in gold-takamaki and the various algae in red- or gold-takamakie. The other side is coated with black lacquer and partially with horn. The water plants and mo grasses were executed in gold-hiramakie. A "sashi-netsuke" (pronounced: netske) is a long, rod- or needle-shaped netsuke that was tucked between the sash and the kimono.

Like the netsuke in conjunction with the inro, it was part of traditional Japanese clothing associated with the kimono. In their design, netsuke often refer to Japanese poetry and mythology. From the 17th century up to contemporary carvings, the almost inexhaustible wealth of motifs in netsuke reflects Japan's earthly world in nature and… The collection record gives measurements width: 17.1 cm, height: 4.85 cm, depth: 2.2 cm.

Published through Europeana; how far this object represents a wider collectible type has not yet been independently verified.