Netsuke Seahorse

[Bradley Watson]

I inherited this from my grandmother. Trying to find out some info about it. Thank you

[Bugyotsuji]

Bradley. Sweet little object with a rather comical facial expression. I suspect it is not so old, a work of ‘mingei’民芸 or even something later.
From those two shots alone the stain generally hides the nature of the material. It could be rather crudely carved ivory, but I can’t be sure.

[Bradley Watson]

Thank you

[Baka Gaijin]

A work of mingei 民芸.

 

Sōetsu Yanagi (1889 - 1961) first coined the term in the early 20th Century, to describe the "art of the people"—anonymous, functional, and mass-produced folk crafts over expensive, "high art". 

 

His book "The Unknown Craftsman" is well worth reading.