Inro decorated with tanuki and crab, and ojime
late 19th century
Inro are containers for small personal items such as seals and herbal medicines. Japanese men of the Edo period (1603–1868) wore them hanging on the obi (sash) of their kimono. The small bead called ojime tightens the inro’s cord. Netsuke, intricately carved toggles, were attached at the end of the cord to prevent the inro from slipping through the obi. By the eighteenth century, both inro and netsuke had become more elaborate and decorative and were commissioned by merchants, samurai, and others who could afford them.
Lacquer and gold
3 3/4 x 2 3/4 x 1 1/16in.
Gift of the Robert B. and Honey Dootson Collection
91.138
Photo: Elizabeth Mann
