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Fashion Commentary
HATS: THEN, NOW AND IN BETWEEN
A pictorial journey through the hat crazes of the 1900's, up to the present day, covering every style ever worn by any woman anywhere. If you don't love hats and consider every outing as an opportunity to wear one, we just might change your mind! coming soon
Inro and Netsuke - status symbols for Japanese men
click image for additional views
A rare ivory nude netsuke from
the collection of Dick and Sarah Benjamin, New York, NY
If you collect inro and netsuke, please send us an email with an
image of your favorite piece. We will be happy to publish it here.
During the late Edo period in Japan, there were laws which prohibited people from appearing in public in lavish dress. It was Samurai protocol. These restrictions however, did not include the flamboyant accessories known as inro and netsuke. In fact, they became status symbols and Japanese men, particularly those of higher social status, flaunted them in public, particularly on their visits to the bordello or to a poetry party, where friends with similar sensibilities might gather.
What is inro? Simply stated, it is a tiny container, comprised of one to six compartments.
It is used to carry pills, powdered medicines and aphrodisiacs. One peculiar type of medicine often carried inside the inro was Egyptian mummy power. It was imported to Japan by the Portugese and was believed to cure hangovers.
However, by the late Edo period, most inro carried nothing at all. They were simply used as ornamentation. They were attached to the sash (obi) by a cord, that was threaded through a netsuke toggle and a sliding bead fastener was used to keep the inro tightly closed. The netsuke was a crucial part of the inro and the carving of netsuke became an important art form unto itself.
We attended the Kazari Exhibition at The Japan Society in New York and viewed the most exquisite examples of late eighteenth century and early nineteenth century inro and netsuke. Here are four examples from that exhibition. Though they are among the finest ever made, we have yet to find inro and netsuke, anywhere, that we didn't admire for its beauty. Expect to pay around one hundred dollars for a simple, utilitarian, undamaged inro with netsuke at today's flea markets and antique fairs and possibly less on eBay. The materials involved in the creation will certainly have a bearing on the price.
The Paper Costumes of Henri Matisse
for the Russian Ballet - 1920
Henri Matisse's costumes for The Song of the Nightingale related to each other and to the backdrops.
He deliberately masked the contours of the dancers' bodies beneath large, voluminous, rectangular costumes, painted in bold, slightly oriental patterns. When they moved, the dancers were transformed into stylised patterns of shape and color.
