In Chinese and Japanese mythology, the tiger is seen as the King of the Beasts, a noble creature that often lives to be 500 years old. This mythological White Tiger is said to only appear when an emperor rules with absolute virtue or when peace permeates all the realms. This Edo Era ivory netsuke is a classic rendition of this mythological figure. Created so the loop of the tail would hang from the obi and the tiger would look up into the face of the wearer, the eyes depict a noble wildness; the snout and fangs are powerfully rendered. The tiger's mane is classically curled and the body taunt. This formidable netsuke has a few shrinkage cracks due to its age; with only minimal usage wear on the surface, it perturbs little of the fine artistry of this rare masterpiece.