A wooden netsuke depicting a kneeling man clad in ample robes, shown as he pulls at his beard with a pair of tweezers held in his right hand. His face is rendered with a comically pained expression, the mouth opened wide as if crying out. Netsuke, composed of the kanji ne (根), meaning "root," and tsuke (付け), meaning "to attach," are small Japanese sculptures originally used as fasteners to secure objects to the sashes of kimono (obi 帯). From the late 19th century they became highly collectible in Europe and America, admired for the variety of subjects, the fine details, the patina and their strong tactile appeal. ---The netsuke is in good condition, with natural openings in the wood. Please refer to the pictures for further details. The item will be carefully packed and shipped via DHL or FedEx, accompanied by the original certificate of authenticity issued by Mastromauro Japanese art gallery based in Milan, Italy. 463