Netsuke, toggle of ivory

Two netsuke made of ivory are carved into tengu or wood sprites hatching from their eggs. A netsuke is used to fasten an inro, a small lacquered container, which hung from the sash of a man's kimono. They became miniature art forms in their own right.

These netsuke show tengu or woodsprites in two stages of hatching from their eggs. They helped their chief to teach Yoshitsune, a medieval hero, archery. The himetoshi, holes for passing the cord through are on the back of b) and to the side of a).

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