Tobacco box, netsuke and ojime

This Japanese tonkotsu (tobacco box) ensemble includes an attached cord, ojime bead, and netsuke. The body of the box is constructed with black lacquer kozane, resembling small Japanese armour scales, bound together by woven cords and ribbons. The lower section features two layers of red ribbon, followed by a layer of multicoloured ribbon, and blue ribbon at the top.

The sides of the box are ornamented with two narrow openwork strips in gilt metal, each centered with a chrysanthemum-shaped (kiku) button. The box is strung on a purple cord passing through a dark ojime and ending in a shell-form netsuke fitted with a metal mount. Made by Shigeyoshi in Japan, the tobacco box is crafted using lacquering, weaving, and gilding techniques with materials including black lacquer, blue and multicoloured ribbon, and gilt metal. The box measures 7.2 cm in height, 5.8 cm in width, and 4.4 cm in depth.