Netsuke in the form of an ivory study of a tortoise and a rat. The tortoise is standing up on its legs and looking forwards. It has a long tail which curls around its right hind foot. A rat is sitting on the tortoise's back. The eyes of the tortoise are outlined in black, with dots marking the pupils. The fur of the rat is indicated with incised lines; the tortoiseshell pattern of the tortoise is also indicated by incisions as are the folds in its belly.
These objects are only a part of our collections, of which there are more than 350,000 objects. This information comes from our collections database. Some of this is incomplete and there may be errors. This part of the website is also still under construction, so there may be some fields repeated or incorrectly formatted information.
The database retains language taken from historical documents to help research. Please note that some records may feature language and reflect systems of thinking that are outdated and offensive. The database also includes information on objects that are considered secret or sacred by some communities.
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