Netsuke: Familiar and Unfamiliar New Principles for Collecting

Raymond Bushell

In this eagerly awaited book, Raymond Bushell once again displays his authority and skill as a writer on the endlessly fascinating subject of netsuke. Intended specifically for the collector, whether newcomer or old hand, this volume breaks new ground in its candid appraisal of the present state of netsuke collecting and the netsuke market. Of particularly timely value, given the soaring cost of netsuke, are its concrete suggestions for building worthy collections without inordinate expenditures - collections that will be individual in character, will add to the sum of netsuke knowledge, and will express the tastes and interests of the collectors.

Mr. Bushell's conviction that it is still possible to collect netsuke without emptying one's pocketbook is substantiated by his detailed descriptions of 45 different categories of collections and his in-depth discussions of the criteria for a good collection. The emphasis throughout is on collecting for aesthetic quality without undue regard for pieces that happen to be currently popular, or have distinguished provenance or bear coveted signatures.

Among the outstanding features of the book is its wealth of new and fresh illustrations: more than 800 full-color, actual-size photographs of fine netsuke from roughly 50 collections - some famous and some little known - together with more than 300 photographs of carvers' signatures. The netsuke shown here represent the work of hundreds of different carvers, both identified and anonymous; they are of many types and styles, both sought after and overlooked.

Price: US$75.00