Description

A rare Japanese Hirado porcelain Netsuke with a movable tongue. The unglazed porcelain of the Hotti has a laughing face with a tongue that moves in and out of his mouth. He is carrying a guord and walking stick. Netsuke are miniature sculptures that were invented in 17th-century Japan to serve a practical function (the two Japanese characters ne + tsuke mean “root” and “to attach”). Traditional Japanese garments had no pockets; however men who wore them needed a place to store their personal belongings. Their solution was to place such objects in containers hung by cords from the robes’ sash. The most popular were beautifully crafted boxes, secured to the robe with a carved, button-like toggle called a netsuke.

Date: 19th C

Dimensions: 2.5″ X .75″