Hi Reddit!
For some years I have been looking for an answer to what this object is. It is not a hanko (stamp), both sides are the same and flat, with an indentation (the photos make this clear). Both sides have a painted lotus, it looks like the old family crest of the Ikeda family. On the long side there are slight indentations from what might have been a small rope (you can zoom in on the first picture to see this). Does anyone have any more information on what this could be?
It’s nothing I or my (Japanese) family have seen before. It’s most likely to be part of something, eg a netsuke.
The Ikeda crest isn’t a big deal, I’m afraid, because that symbol is used just as a pretty symbol on clothes and accessories.
Is it wood with no space inside, right?