A group of three tonkotsu (tobacco boxes)


Meiji (1868-1912) or Taisho (1912-1926) era, early 20th centuryComprising a woven bamboo box with an overhanging cover and himotoshi rings along the sides, fitted with a carved fruit-nut ojime and a woven bamboo netsuke; a tobacco box carved from a single node of bamboo and decorated on the exterior with Gama Sennin and his toad companion carved in relief, the cover hardwood, fitted with a carved fruit-nut ojime and a wood spherical netsuke pierce carved with peonies, the top surface with a chrysanthemum blossom encircled by a stag-horn ring; a tobacco box carved from a single burl of wood, fitted with a wood ojime carved with concentric rings and a large burl wood netsuke (3) 4 1/4in (10.8cm) wide, the largest