Japanese Netsuke

The netsuke is an object of wonder: a tiny utilitarian accessory to traditional Japanese dress that has become an art form in itself, prized by collectors from East to West. Now in paperback, this book presents the Victoria and Albert Museum’s world-famous collection of netsuke, recording the evolution of materials and techniques and the patterns of craftsmanship as this small toggle developed into an item of high fashion. Illustrated with some of the very finest examples, this volume includes a foreword by renowned ceramics artist Edmund de Waal that sheds new light on the beauty and value of these miniature works of art.

Julia Hutt is curator of Japanese art in the Asian department at the V&A. Edmund de Waal is a world-renowned ceramics artist and author of the award-winning and bestselling The Hare with Amber Eyes.