OJIME: Magical Jewels of Japan by...

OJIME: Magical Jewels of Japan by Robert O. Kinsey (Abrams: $19.95). As the traditional kimono has no pockets, men during the Tokugawa era had to devise an alternate way of carrying money, keys, smoking utensils, medicine and other personal accessories. Their solution was an ensemble that consisted of a purse or case (the sagemono or “suspended object”) attached to a cord that passed under the sash. The ojime, a carved bead, held the cord in place between the sagemono and the netsuke (toggle). Barely an inch in diameter, these beads were often intricate miniature sculptures carved from ivory, coral, jade, horn or wood. This lavish volume (the first book on the subject) provides a pleasant introduction to these exquisite figures.