Drawing on the Victoria and Albert Museum's fine collection, Japanese Netsuke examines these appealing, accessible, and often humorous works of art in the broadest possible context. In a text that is both comprehensive and entertaining, Julia Hutt traces the history of netsuke, showing how these highly collectible objects originated from belt hangings used by nomads along the Silk Road. The stunning color photographs reveal the full range of subjects portrayed--images of animals, birds, and sea creatures, portraits of dancers and demons, droll cameos of characters from everyday urban life, even a rare poetic evocation of landscape--and the high level of skill involved in their creation. The richness and diversity of the materials used, as well as the different sources of inspiration, are also discussed, providing an indispensable guide for collectors and all those interested in Japanese decorative arts.

The first English-language collection of the titular artist, "The Art of Sachiko Kaneoya" chronicles the creator's work and themes for nearly a decade, showcasing the monstrous, the romantic, and the mortal suffering of her subjects. Inspired by anime and manga from the 50s and 90s, Kaneoya's global contingent of fans has never had a easily-obtainable volume of her work... until now.

Long-time collector Harriet Szechenyi concentrated on collecting netsuke of animals and celestial beings. A considerable part of the collection consists of so-called shishi (lion dogs). These beautiful miniature art objects have been described at length by Rosemary Bandini. beautiful Japanese art form. The appendix contains pictures of the signatures found on the netsuke, a very useful guide to the collector.

For over forty years, the name Virginia Atchley has been synonymous with the collecting fo miniature Japanese arts in America. Virginia Atchley has now decided to share her collection with other aficionados in this book. Detailed here are over 400 pieces, with signatures.