A katabori netsuke carved in dense dark hardwood, signed Mitsuhiro on the underside. Netsuke were toggles. Japanese dress had no pockets, so a man suspended his pouch or inrō from his sash by a cord, anchored at the far end by a small carved counterweight. Everything about the object was determined by that job: small enough to sit against the body, smooth enough not to catch, heavy enough to hold. From the 18th century onward, carvers began signing them, and what had been a fastener became a form of sculpture — the most demanding kind, where an entire composition must resolve inside a few centimetres and survive being handled every day. This one takes a cobra rising from its coils. The hood is spread full and flat, its face turned directly forward, and the carver has scored the whole surface with a fine diamond scale pattern that follows the swell of the hood outward and then tightens as it runs down the throat. Below, the body loops back on itself in a single heavy coil, the scales here cut broader and deeper, catching light along the ridge of the curve. The head is the achievement: small, alert, the snout modelled with real anatomical attention, the eyes inlaid dark and set slightly forward so the thing appears to have just noticed you. The wood is close-grained and deeply patinated, worked to a warm brown that runs almost black in the recesses and lifts to a reddish shine where the coil turns. Coiled bamboo forms the ground behind the snake, and the base is finished as rough earth — the composition closed on itself, with no protruding edge anywhere on it. Held in the hand at just under five centimetres, the piece keeps its density. It reads far larger than it is. Details Subject: Snake Artist: Koyo Period: Showa period (ca. 1926–1989) Material: Boxwood (Buxus) Technique: Hand-carved Signature: Koyo Condition Good vintage condition consistent with its age. Minor surface wear, light rubbing, and a beautiful natural patina from age and handling. The carving remains crisp with no noticeable cracks, chips, or major repairs visible. Please refer to the photographs, which form an integral part of the description. Shipping from Japan with Tracking Number & Insurance. I promise fast shipping via FedEx or DHL as soon as possible! Import duties, taxes and charges are not included in the item price or shipping charges. These charges are the buyer’s responsibility. These charges are normally collected by the delivering freight (shipping) company or when you pick the item up - do not confuse them for additional shipping charges.