Manju netsuke of a bat, stag antler, ca. 1850-1900

The netsuke is a toggle. Netsuke had to be small and not too heavy, yet bulky enough to do the job. They needed to be compact with no sharp protruding edges, yet also strong and hard-wearing.

Above all, they had to have the means for attaching a cord. Netsuke were made in a variety of forms, this one being an example of the manju type, named after a kind of rounded, sweet dumpling filled with bean paste that it loosely resembles in shape. They were either solid or consisted of two pieces, as in this example. Unusually, the decorated top part can be pulled out to reveal the hidden signature Koku, short for Kokusai.

Kokusai (?-1894) was the greatest exponent of and guiding influence on the distinctive line of netsuke carvers associated with the Asakusa district of Tokyo (formerly Edo). Kokusai’s netsuke are characterised by a predominant use of stag antler as a material and by a highly original style of carving, combined with enormous originality and humour. Stag antler is a relatively cheap material but has various drawbacks, such as its irregular spongy surface, its hardness and the limitations imposed by its shape.

In the highly creative mind of Kokusai, however, such irregularities were frequently exploited to form an interesting design. The scrolls and circular motifs widely associated with Kokusai’s style are found on this example.