o j i m e . m e . u k

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Introduction

Hi there, Welcome to my web site which is dedicated to my obsession of collecting small antique, Japanese functional sculptures, which were developed over a period of more than three hundred years. These were worn with the traditional form of dress, the kimono.

The kimono had no pockets. Women would tuck personal items into sleeves, but men suspended their tobacco pouches, pipes, medicines, purses or writing implements on a silk cord from their kimono sash. These hanging objects are called sagemono or inro.

To stop the cord from slipping through the sash, a small toggle was attached, this was called a netsuke, (pronounced "net - ski"). A sliding bead called an ojime was strung on the cord between the netsuke and the sagemono to tighten or loosen the opening of the sagemono.

The entire ensemble was then worn, at the waist and functioned as a sort of removable hip pocket. All three objects (netsuke, ojime and sagemono.) were often beautifully decorated with elaborate carving, lacquer work, or inlays of rare and exotic materials, including: wood, ivory, precious metals, shell, coral and semi-precious stones. All three items have developed into highly coveted and collectible art forms.

<-- Pass your mouse over the items for a description.

With the decline of the kimono there was less demand in Japan for this form of functional accessory, but they continued to be produced for export. To this day some skilled designers and carvers continue to produce many excellent contemporary pieces which are much sought after. Although in recent years, many poor quality pieces have been produced using ivory obtained from illegally poached Elephants and other animals. Resin replicas are also being produced; therefore collectors need to be careful.