Whats the boards take on these Menuki?

[Infinite_Wisdumb]

Online auction, listing description:

12-piece lot (6 pair) of antique Japanese sword Menuki. Includes gilded dragons, shrimp, and other Japanese iconography. Most are bronze.

[Kurikata]

Pouch pins. No menuki.

[Infinite_Wisdumb]

tobacco pouches? Kanamono?

thanks for the insights Bruce?  I still have a lot to learn

[Infinite_Wisdumb]

Maekanagu? 

[DoTanuki yokai]

The easiest way to spot the tobacco pouches pins are the 2 pins on the backside as menuki only have 1, also i only know of rectangular pins.

But im far away from knowing anything about menuki

[Tanto54]

Just a few thoughts on these so we don't miss out on possible hidden gems in the future.  Tobacco pouch pins don't come in pairs, so the pairs above are not pouch pins.  The lobsters have unusual pins (too thin for antique menuki) and shape, so they are probably modern pressed menuki for modern decorative swords.  Menuki are often repurposed for Tobacco pouch pins, obidome (the decorative "buckle" on the thin rope that goes around a women's obi/belt on her kimono), Western broaches, etc.  If you look carefully, you will see the vestiges of menuki posts (in the middle) on a few of the items in the picture and the later added two thin pins toward the edges (that shows that it is a menuki that was converted to a pouch pin).  Finally, some menuki were glued on with pitch and never had any pin or post at all (see one above that appear to have their backs filled with pitch).  I'm not saying any of these are gems, but you will often find great menuki that have been converted to other uses.

[Infinite_Wisdumb]

Interesting.  Thanks Christian and George.  I ended up winning the auction, so ill post up some more pics when they arrive!