The netsuke is a toggle. Japanese men used netsuke to suspend various pouches and containers from their sashes by a silk cord. Netsuke had to be small and not too heavy, yet bulky enough to do the job. They needed to be compact with no sharp protruding edges, yet also strong and hardwearing. Above all they had to have the means of attaching the cord. Netsuke were traditionally made in a variety of forms, the most widely appreciated is the katabori (shape carving). This example is a three-dimensional carving in the form of a golden carp.

With the adoption of Western dress from the mid nineteenth century onwards, netsuke were no longer used as functional items. There has never been a time, however, when netsuke stopped being made as collectors’ items, both in Japan and world-wide. Here in Great Britain there is a well-established tradition which includes Michael Webb (1934- ) as one of the foremost carvers. In 1976 Webb left the auctioneering world to devote his time entirely to carving and painting. His netsuke are extremely accomplished, showing a preference for animal subjects carved in boxwood, such as this example with inlaid gold eyes. This work was a collaboration between Webb and his wife, Alexandra, a jeweller who made the eyes.