Originating in the fifteenth century, an inro was originally a Japanese seal case, used to carry the owner's seal for signature of documents and pigment. Later the inro was modified by adding compartments and was used to carry aromatic herbs, tobacco or medicine. It was suspended from the sash around the owners waist (obi), by a cord secured by a toggle (netsuke). Wood covered in lacquer was the favourite material, though carved wood, ivory, porcelain and pottery, and bamboo were also used. For specialised use iron was employed. The finest examples come from the sixteenth to eighteenth centuries and were decorated with gold or silver in delicate complex patterns, the favourite motifs being birds, beasts, gods, flowers, blossoms, dragons, and clouds, often depicted in an asymmetrical manner, often whimsical, often near abstract. To collectors, the variety of the lacquer is of great interest, whether it is flat, raised, incised more...

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Edo period Japanese gold lacquer inro with boxwood netsuke of a…

Japanese Gold Lacquer Inro with Ivory Ojima and Netsuke

Edo period Japanese gold lacquer inro with boxwood netsuke of a lakeside dwelling, the ojima finely carved ivory, c.1800

Antique Japanese carved black lacquer childs Inro with Chinese…

Japanese Lacquer Inro with Sage Scene & Stag Antler Netsuke

Antique Japanese carved black lacquer childs Inro with Chinese sages, agate ojime, stag antler Ryusa Netsuke, Asakusa school

A Japanese gold lacquer four case inro, Meiji period, 19th…

Japanese Gold Lacquer Inro with Temple Complex Decoration

A Japanese gold lacquer four case inro, Meiji period, 19th century, decorated with a temple complex with netsuke and ojime. 7.8 cm long. Provenance: Collection of Dr. Henry Cyril Adams

A Japanese gold lacquer and mother of pearl four case inro,…

Japanese Inro with Marine Inlays and Netsuke

A Japanese gold lacquer and mother of pearl four case inro, Meiji period (1868-1912), inlaid with fish and sea creatures; together with a wooden netsuke. 7.5 cm length. Provenance: Collection of Dr. Henry Cyril Adams

Good Japanese green cloisonne five section inro the cloisonne…

Japanese Green Cloisonne Inro with Carved Boxwood Netsuke

Good Japanese green cloisonne five section inro the cloisonne with all over flowers and leaves design and carved signed boxwood Noh netsuke inro measures 7.8 x 5.8 cm and netsuke 4.9 cm

A Chinese four case ivory Inro. Lightly carved and inked shaped…

Chinese Ivory Inro with Landscape and Pavilion Scenes

A Chinese four case ivory Inro. Lightly carved and inked shaped panels to both faces with figures in landscape and pavilion settings, with a black cord and ivory bead. Length 7.5 cm. Width 4.5 cm

Japanese bone Inro & netsuke. Four section inro, engraved…

Japanese Antler Inro & Netsuke

Japanese bone Inro & netsuke. Four section inro, engraved decoration. Antler - netsuke, signed.

Japanese bone Inro & netsuke. Four section inro, engraved…

Japanese Fish Inro & Netsuke

Japanese bone Inro & netsuke. Four section inro, engraved decoration. Fish form netsuke. Unsigned.

A rare Meiji Japanese wooden Inro Tonkotsu, with shibayama…

Meiji Japanese Inro with Shibayama Inlay Decoration

A rare Meiji Japanese wooden Inro Tonkotsu, with shibayama inlay decoration, original ivory Ojime bead and Hirado ceramic Fungi netsuke. Inro 7 cm high.

A fine Meiji Japanese Inro with shibayama inlaid decoration.…

Meiji Inro with Shibayama Inlay and Mushroom Netsuke

A fine Meiji Japanese Inro with shibayama inlaid decoration. Original Satsuma ojime bead and original boxwood mushroom netsuke. 9 cm.

Vintage Japanese carve ivory inro, 3.5 cm tall approx.…

Japanese Ivory Carved Inro from Finey Collection

Vintage Japanese carve ivory inro, 3.5 cm tall approx. Provenance: Finey collection, Sydney

Bone Inro with erotica scene birds to reverse with Japanese…

Birds and Erotica Bone Inro with Japanese Ojime

Bone Inro with erotica scene birds to reverse with Japanese Ojime, 6.3 cm high

Bone Inro with erotica scene & ducks to reverse with Japanese…

Erotic Bone Inro with Reversible Duck Ojime

Bone Inro with erotica scene & ducks to reverse with Japanese Ojime, 6.3 cm high

Japanese boxwood inro. Signed, with netsuke & bead attachment.…

Dragon Boxwood Inro with Netsuke & Bead Attachment

Japanese boxwood inro. Signed, with netsuke & bead attachment. Dragon decoration. Height 6 cm. (inro)

A four-case lacquer inro, by Togyoku, Meiji period, late 19th…

Gold-lacquered inro with butterfly and chrysanthemum design

A four-case lacquer inro, by Togyoku, Meiji period, late 19th century, decorated in gold 'hiramaki-e' with butterflies in flight above flowering chrysanthemum and bound grasses, on a 'roiro-nuri' ground with 'hirame', signed 'Togyoku'; with an ivory…

A five-case roiro-nuri ground inro, by Kajikawa, Meiji period,…

Kajikawa's Rooster and Snake Inro Set with Ivory Netsuke

A five-case roiro-nuri ground inro, by Kajikawa, Meiji period, late 19th century, decorated in gold, silver and 'iro-e hiramaki-e' and 'kirigane' with a rooster perched on a blossoming tree gazing down at a snake coiled around a lower branch, signed…

A fine Japanese gold lacquer six case inro, Meiji period…

Japanese Gold Lacquer Inro with Coral Ojime, Meiji Period

A fine Japanese gold lacquer six case inro, Meiji period (1868-1912), coral ojime, 9 cm high, 5 cm wide

Japanese ivory two section inro. Circular with ivory bead…

Japanese Ivory Inro with Erotic Carving

Japanese ivory two section inro. Circular with ivory bead attached. Engraved blossom decoration. Erotic scene carved to interior. Provenance: Private Collection, ACT. Diameter 4.5 cm

Japanese ivory three section inro. Carved horse to each side,…

Japanese Ivory Horse Inro

Japanese ivory three section inro. Carved horse to each side, with three ivory beads attached. Provenance: Private Collection, ACT. Height 5 cm

Fine quality ivory Inro with carving and signed with deer…

Ivory Inro with Carving and Deer Netsuke

Fine quality ivory Inro with carving and signed with deer netsuke

Japanese Mejji period inro 9.5 cm high

Mejji Period Japanese Inro - 9.5cm High

Japanese Mejji period inro 9.5 cm high

A quality carved inro of three sections with attached netsuke

Three-Section Carved Inro with Netsuke

A quality carved inro of three sections with attached netsuke

Group of bone and ivory netsuke (3), amulets (4), seal and inro.…

Japanese Netsuke, Amulets, Seal, and Inro Collection

Group of bone and ivory netsuke (3), amulets (4), seal and inro. 3-6 cm (9 items)

Japanese Inro, four drawers. Grey background, horse and tree…

Horse and Tree Inro

Japanese Inro, four drawers. Grey background, horse and tree decoration. No signature or cord

An Art Deco plastic japanois 'inro' make-up container, the…

Art Deco Japanois Makeup and Scent Container

An Art Deco plastic japanois 'inro' make-up container, the imitation jade and ebony container unscrews in the middle to reveal a mirror and powder puff and cavity for face powder, etc. The decorative glass cage affixed to the top in imitation of an…

Fine Japanese four-case lacquer inro, Meiji period (1868-1912),…

Meiji Period Japanese Lacquer Inro with Boat Scene

Fine Japanese four-case lacquer inro, Meiji period (1868-1912), lenticular with attached himotoshi, the black lacquer ground decorated in gold, silver, black and red hiramaki-e and takamaki-e, with people on a boat crossing the sea with mountains in the…

A fine quality Japanese gold lacquer four case inro, Meiji…

Japanese Gold Lacquer Inro with Coral Ojime and Netsuke

A fine quality Japanese gold lacquer four case inro, Meiji Period, with coral ojime and a guri lacquer netsuke. 9 cm high, 6.5 cm wide

Japanese lacquer five segmental inro with netsuke and coral…

Japanese Lacquer Inro Set with Netsuke and Ojime

Japanese lacquer five segmental inro with netsuke and coral ojime

Japanese lacquer five case Inro and ivory netsuke. Embossed…

Embossed Lacquer Inro with Ivory Netsuke

Japanese lacquer five case Inro and ivory netsuke. Embossed gilt and shell external decorations of basket of flowers to one side; screen and fan to the other. Nashiji interior. Sage and toad form netsuke, attached by cord, with three ojime. Length 9 cm…

Japanese lacquer four case inro and ivory netsuke. Carved jade…

Japanese Lacquer Inro with Carved Ivory Netsuke

Japanese lacquer four case inro and ivory netsuke. Carved jade and mother of pearl decoration to both sides (significant loss to one side). Nashiji interiors; gilt exterior. Netsuke carved with man and woman, and script - attached by purple cord. Length…

Japanese lacquer four case Inro in box. Embossed river, temple…

Embossed Japanese Lacquer Inro with Landscape Scenes

Japanese lacquer four case Inro in box. Embossed river, temple and mountain landscape scenes to each side. Nashiji interiors. Presentation lacquer box with several losses to edges. Length 9 cm (inro)

Japanese four section lacquer Inro and netsuke. Gilt ptd bamboo…

Gilt Lacquer Inro with Ivory Elephant Netsuke

Japanese four section lacquer Inro and netsuke. Gilt ptd bamboo decoration; attached ivory elephant form netsuke; coral ojime