The sad dragon is crawling
In a green fog through the mountains.
He is looking for a lost pearl...
S. O.

The dragon and the pearl is the classical theme of netsuke. Everyone has a pearl that we like the dragon to guard. There is always a dragon where there is a pearl. When the dragon looses its pearl, deep feelings of grief and sorrow overcome him.

He must depart on a quest to recover his loss. He travels the world, wanders the Earth, not finding peace. On his way he comes across many pearls, real and fake (that have no dragons guarding them). However, there is only one that brings peace. We just have to remember about that one and we'll find it, our own pearl.

This piece is made from white forest pear and stained. The eyes are inlayed with bone. "Natural" khimatoshi- formed by the curves of the dragon.