Tobacco Box Set: Tonkotsu, Kiseruzutsu and Ojime

9/26/2008: "A unique en suite carved wood tonkotsu, kiseruzutsu and ojime, signed Genryusai Minkoku II with kakihan, early 19th century. This smoker’s set has a frog motif. The tobacco pouch /tonkotsu is carved with three frogs on an oak tree, the lid formed as a large leaf. The pipe case/kiseruzutsu is carved with a frog on an oak leaf at one end and carvings of acorns on a branch at the other end. The slide bead/ojime is in the form of a frog. The kiseruzutsu measures 9.8 in, the tokotsu 3 5/8 in. wide x 2 7/8” high.

Genryosai Minkoku II was a Tokyo (Edo) School carver who worked equally well in ivory and wood, but in a smaller scale than his teacher Minkoku I.

A sagemono literally means ‘hanging thing’ and can be any object suspended from a cord held in place with a netsuke or other object which acted as a toggle, keeping the sagemono from falling through the obi. With this sagemono the pipe case/kiseruzutsu acts as the toggle. It is rare to find a complete ensemble such as this." - Bernie McManus, Appraiser, Woodbury House, Connecticut, 9/05/2008