Jack Zacao

I certainly was hoping the base is gold and silver alloy but the color is too pale in reality. Is there anyway to tell without equipment ? the pair weighs about 14 grams and are 1 7/16 inch long

That seems to be the edge of the gold plate or where the gold color stops. There seems to be a small crack around the edge where I can almost tell the gold is applied by a foil. at least the circled area on the left suggests. Other than the base metal I am more interested in knowing if this is Goto work or other school immitation?

After searching the internet again I finally found the Kozuka that has the same design and made by Goto 10th geberation head: https://tsuba-kanshou.hatenablog.jp/entry/dcf90a14c54397050ddd0d72b9cd8e85

Hi guys, Could anyone find similar examples to the menuki below? It has silver back plate but the willow tree seems to have gold color, may be plated with gold. I tried to search online for similar examples but not seem to have any success. The design with egret and willow tree is very common in Japanese art and I have seem it often on kozukas and Tsubas. Based on the style I would say it is Goto school because I have seen one example from the 10th mainline master on a kozuka where four egret almost of the same design/gesture on a willow tree. However, I have since lost the link so not able to find it again. The closest example to it is the link below: https://collectorsfirearms.com/39515-kinko-menuki-mgj428.html/ but it has lower quality than the one I post. If anyone has something similar or can identify the possible school or maker I would appreciate it very much. My guess is a Goto school artist mid edo. BTW, I also wonder how gold is applied to silver base and why there aren't many silver based menuki around whereas shakudo and gold menuki seem to be more common. Thank you. Jack

Thank you both for the informative comments.

Thank you Charlie for your comments. could you please elaborate on what you mean by ‘ complexity of decroation’? Base on the color, I think it is made of shibuichi and the gold eyes and feathers are 象嵌，which i learned recently. The beek is gilding? the belly is of silver color and with black feather, possibly shakudo inlay. please let me know what you think. Thanks.

these are 4.9cm long, way bigger than average. i guess they were made in meiji period.

Here are a pair of Menuki of geese design. They were repurposed into earrings in the first half of last century. The workmanship is excellent but I do not know the school or possible maker because there are no signature or Kao. Any comments are welcome.

Just to add 高瀨榮壽is a student of 泰山元孚

I also have doubts these belong to a set. The fuchi seems to be iron ground or looks different in material and quality than those of the kashira. Fuchi is definitely better and may be authentic

https://www.seiyudo.com/ko-041024.htm another example of his work

高瀨榮壽，he was pretty famous, but not sure if the work is authentic

upon further research , it is found that the 文殊四郎 family was famous in making kitchen knifes in the small city of Sakai which is a suburb of osaka. please read the following link (second paragraph) using google translate: https://www.lib-sakai.jp/kyoudo/kyo_digi/monodukurisakai/monodukuri_hotyo.htm

blade says 摂州文殊四郎包清 摂州 is location or 攝津國 which is today’s osaka 文殊四郎 is family name 包清 is name

Thank you all for the informative replies. I learned a lot. I am sharing another of my high quality piece, signed Hirata. I wonder what technique was used for the gold on shakudo. Is it inlay? the contour is very sharply defined but I do not see chisel marks.

Hi Charlie, I now realized I do have some menukis that have 高肉象嵌， but I have trouble distinguish 平象嵌 and 金袋着 or gilding. In the case of shishi menuki, do you mean the shakudo dots are inlays? i guess so because they can not be gildings…how about the gold color eyes?

Thank you Charlie for the info. I have not seen one with true inlays on menuki, but of course I am just a novice. The Tiger menuki I like the best is from Iwamoto : https://collections.mfa.org/objects/9808/pair-of-menuki-in-the-form-of-tigers?ctx=670ac707-7750-44fc-871e-06f418d308b9&idx=8 It is very detailed, even the furs on ears are carved. the size is only 3.3 cm

Hi Geraint, I do not think the gold stripes are inlaid. they are normally referred as ‘色繪’ which is a kind of gold gilding technique. Jack

Nice set. I have a single tiger menuki as well and like the design very much especially the cute eye brows. I have been wondering whether the gold paint is added after the chisel fur marks or before …

signature on fuchi seems to be 美春 he is a student of 石黑正美

I also like to browse menuki designs in museum collections online. the best site is MFA in boston. You can learn a lot by examining the high definition pictures and the artist name and schools. However, the museum collections usually focus on extrermely high quality and most of them are solid gold. it is beyond the reach of me. Does anyone know other good museum collections of menuki? other than MET, MFA boston ?

Hi Kai, a quick search would result in the following book: https://japaneseswordbooksandtsuba.com/store/book/fittings-books/b979-tosogu-no-bi-fine-Japanese-sword-fittings-menuki-i-ii-2-books/ it seems to be in english as well. others are mostly Japanese Jack

Thank you all for the comments and answers. It makes a lot of sense that it is for securing the menuki and was soldered on.

Hi all, I have wondered for a long time how the post at the back of menuki is made and attached? most of time you can find the four thin metal pieces supporting the base of the post forming a cross shape. What are the purposes of those and how and when are they added at what point in the menuki making process ? I really appreciate your answering or any comments.

Many high end Tsuba have word ‘應需’ meaning by order by the signature