I was recently at an auction that featured over 100 netsuke from one person’s collection, and the auction drew far more than its usual number of bidders. During the preview, I noticed several people examining pieces extremely carefully with high magnification lenses. Every piece sold, most for over $300 and several going into the thousands. Sprinkled throughout the auction, I’d hear one of the biggest bidders sitting behind me occasionally comment, “That’s a fake.” I finally asked the bidder if there are a lot of netsuke fakes on the market in general, and he vehemently responded, “You have no idea.”
Now considered diminutive pieces of fine art, netsuke were originally an attractive but functional part of Japanese attire. According to the International Netsuke Society (INS) (www.netsuke.org, over the course of more than three centuries, netsuke were developed to prevent the silk cord attached to a sagemono (a pouch of sorts) from slipping through the waist sash from which the sagemono hung. Sagemono were used to hold a person’s small belongings since kimonos had no pockets.
The INS website states that netsuke “were often beautifully decorated with elaborate carving, lacquer work, or inlays of rare and exotic materials. Subjects portrayed in netsuke include naturally found objects, plants and animals, legends and legendary heroes, myths and mystical beasts, gods and religious symbols, daily activities, and myriad other themes. Many netsuke are believed to have been talismans.” It’s easy to see why these fascinating pieces became so coveted by collectors.
As Japanese attire changed to a more European standard, neither the sagemono nor the netsuke were necessary by the early 20th century. But by then, Westerners had discovered these beautifully hand-carved pieces and had begun collecting them, opening up a new market for Japan. Netsuke continued to be made by talented Japanese artisans, but as more tourists visited Japan and wanted to bring home netsuke as souvenirs, factories began churning out mass-produced pieces and molded resins to meet the growing demand. Initially these pieces were of low quality, but over the years the quality has improved, making identification more difficult. Netsuke are still being made today by highly-skilled carvers all over the world; these artists sign pieces with their own name or mark and sell them as the modern works of art they are. Buyers need to be wary of resellers representing modern pieces as antiques, as well as factory-made netsuke, which sometimes carry the faked marks of old-world carvers.
Because there are so many variables when it comes to dating and authenticating netsuke (which makes for avid debate among even the most highly knowledgeable netsuke scholars), for the purpose of this column we'll talk about the possible differences between a modern netsuke and an antique.
One of the first things you can check out is the cord holes on the netsuke. If the piece is old enough to have been used functionally before circa 1920, the hole edges should show some wear. Newer pieces used only for display purposes will have sharper, unworn edges. Of course, if the forger is paying attention to detail, he may give hole edges some artificial wear - this is why it’s important that the piece pass several criteria before you can make a final determination. Next check the wear marks on the piece: a netsuke used on a kimono should have wear from handling as well as the proper patina, which can be uneven in color since the part worn against the kimono may not have discolored as much from light exposure. Also look for rubbing in unusual spots created to camouflage the mold lines of a resin.
On a figure wearing ethnic clothing, the consistency of the entire outfit is important; for this, you need to understand the time period in which the piece was supposedly carved. A good example is given in the book Netsuke: Masterpieces From the Metropolitan Museum of Modern Art by Barbra Teri Okada. Okada discusses the comparison of two nearly identical netsuke Dutchman figures in authentic Dutch period costume, noting a “stylistic deviation” within the costume of the reproduction. The authentic 18th-century piece is wearing a hat in keeping with the period style of the garment, whereas the reproduction is wearing a Korean style hat that wouldn't have been seen on such a figure until the late 19th century. This was just the first clue that raised a red flag on this particular netsuke.
A netsuke made of old ivory isn’t necessarily an old carving because some modern forgers use antique ivory for their carvings. Some of these as well as netsuke made from modern ivory may also contain manmade cracks, mimicking the cracks that can naturally occur in old ivory. It can be hard to recognize the difference, but one indicator is that ivory cracks naturally with its grain, whereas some manmade cracks can be at angles. In her book, Okada describes other, more detailed ways to identify the difference between a natural and manmade crack, as well as chemically-induced cracks forgers create in modern ivory. Normally, cracks collect dirt over the decades, but careful scrutiny is needed here too, because some forgers use dark stain to simulate collected dirt.
Carver’s signatures or marks are only part of the authentication process and should never be a reason for buying a piece (the quality of the carving is far more important). Members of the INS discuss and debate this issue in their forum, and even museum experts can disagree on signatures. The reason for the confusion is that, among other things, sometimes multiple carvers in a group will sign with the same mark; an artist’s signature can sometimes change throughout the years; and forgers have become better at copying signatures. The one thing you can watch out for is evidence that a signature was added in modern times in an effort to make an unsigned antique piece more valuable. The INS has photographic evidence of a mouse netsuke that was originally unsigned, then “miraculously” showed up at auction with a signature - a clear attempt at deception. A knowledgeable INS member also advises using caution with any signature stained red on a wood netsuke.
If you own one or more newer pieces that you thought were antique, don’t fret; instead, use them as opportunities. Study the differences between the modern pieces and known antiques - this is the best way to truly understand the look and feel of each. Netsuke have been made from many different types of material, each with its own characteristics.
But the single most important thing you can do to truly understand this field is to join the International Netsuke Society, where you can chat with and learn from some of the most helpful, knowledgeable netsuke collectors you’ll ever find. This invaluable resource’s forum is filled with interesting, lively discussions about authenticity, carvers, and so much more that anyone even slightly interested in netsuke and its related forms will find the INS most stimulating and, happily, addictive.
All photos are comparisons of forgeries and their authentic counterparts and were generously contributed by members of the International Netsuke Society.
At A Glance:
Signs of a Fake, Forgery, or Reproduction:
1. Netsuke without the patina indicating years of handling.
2. Cord holes with sharp, unworn edges indicate a modern piece.
3. Cracks in ivory running at an angle to the natural grain are manmade.
4. Parts carved after a natural crack formed indicate modern carving on old ivory.
5. Dark stain inside a crack mimicking natural age.
6. Rubbing in unusual spots may be camouflaging mold lines.
7. Multi-colored stains suggest a modern piece.
Reference books, websites, and collecting groups are the best ways to keep from being fooled by fakes. Here are a few: International Netsuke Society (www.netsuke.org); Netsuke: Masterpieces From The Metropolitan Museum of Art by Barbra Teri Okada; Inro and Netsuke by Tokyo National Museum.