inro & netsuke really belong together!

Inro were designed to be attached by a cord to an ojime and a netsuke.
Yet there are many collectors that are so specialised that they only
collect inro, without owning a single netsuke.

John R. Yamamoto-Wilson...

[snip]

These inro are beautiful, finely decorated lacquer containers,
consisting of a number of interlocking compartments (often between 3
- 6 sections) all held together on a cord. An ojime (decorative
bead) was also threaded on to the cord so that once pushed down towards
the inro it would keep all the compartments closed. Inro were then
used for carrying such small personal items as seals and pills and
became fashionable worn with the Kimono but always attached to a
netsuke.

What does seem a pity these days is that there are collectors that only
collect inro, or netsuke, some even only collect the ojime! No doubt
this has a great deal to do with the escalating cost of these
treasures, but these particular Japanese antiques do all really belong
together. It is so much more satisfying to find and to put together a
fine inro, ojime and netsuke that all relate well with each other.

To simply own an inro and ojime (these are often sold together) but
without any netsuke, in my view, leaves the inro looking so incomplete!

John R. Yamamoto-Wilson...

Surely you mean in John Cohen's view, since that is who you are quoting.
Oh...I see. You *are* John Cohen, though one wouldn't know that
without looking at the complete message headers.

John R. Yamamoto-Wilson...

Well, but having said that, the link -

- only seems to have pictures of one or the other. The pictures on the
page for this particular article don't seem to work at all.

Still, quite a nice site, I suppose, though it does seem to be pumping
the CD-Rom rather too much.

The author has been a very keen collector for many years in helping to
create 'The Cohen collection'. To see more articles with
photographs please use the following link: -