Onis (鬼) are popular in Japanese folklore and can best be described as ogres or trolls. They are usually portrayed as hideous creatures with large eyes, sharp claws, wild hair and two long horns on their head. The horns of this Oni have been shorn however and he is inspecting his changed appearance in a mirror. His eyes are inlaid with horn and have black pupils while his mirror is inlaid with mother-of-pearl. The Netsuke is signed and the first character reads You (友) while we are not sure about the second character which we read as Zheng (正). We therefore believe that name of the carver is Youzheng (友正). Height 3.5 cm. Width 3.3 cm. Depth 2.3 cm.