Antique Fine Japanese

V. Fine 18/19th century Japanese Menuki Sword mount 18K mounted 1900's Cufflinks

V. Fine 18/19th century Japanese Menuki Sword mount 18K mounted 1900's Cufflinks
V. Fine 18/19th century Japanese Menuki Sword mount 18K mounted 1900's Cufflinks
V. Fine 18/19th century Japanese Menuki Sword mount 18K mounted 1900's Cufflinks
V. Fine 18/19th century Japanese Menuki Sword mount 18K mounted 1900's Cufflinks
V. Fine 18/19th century Japanese Menuki Sword mount 18K mounted 1900's Cufflinks
V. Fine 18/19th century Japanese Menuki Sword mount 18K mounted 1900's Cufflinks
V. Fine 18/19th century Japanese Menuki Sword mount 18K mounted 1900's Cufflinks
V. Fine 18/19th century Japanese Menuki Sword mount 18K mounted 1900's Cufflinks
V. Fine 18/19th century Japanese Menuki Sword mount 18K mounted 1900's Cufflinks
V. Fine 18/19th century Japanese Menuki Sword mount 18K mounted 1900's Cufflinks
V. Fine 18/19th century Japanese Menuki Sword mount 18K mounted 1900's Cufflinks
V. Fine 18/19th century Japanese Menuki Sword mount 18K mounted 1900's Cufflinks

V. Fine 18/19th century Japanese Menuki Sword mount 18K mounted 1900's Cufflinks
Cufflinks, presented within a smart London retailers box. Menuki are sword mounts or charms that are wrapped onto the grip of a traditional Samurai Katana sword underneath the binding within the grip/handle of the sword, they are often very simple and pressed Silver or copper that has then been washed or coloured with different processes but the very highest quality examples where made from mixed metal like these and often designed.

With the other mounts for a particular sword so you would have had the Tsuba and other metal elements all decorated the same, these Menuki are made from true mixed metal, which is a term used to often describe this form of metal decoration. The process of using metal decoration which is Gold, Silver, Shakudo & any number of Gold and precious metal alloys to create different colours of metal and to model and decorate metal items is something which goes back at least 4/500 years in this form. It involved techniques which sadly in many cases have long since been forgotten and no longer known by anyone. The artists who made these decorative elements for Japanese swords often came from close.

Of associated family's or clans with secrets of processes passed down generations, with master teaching pupil these workshops often get. With regard to these particular cufflinks they where shown to a an expert in this field and he told me that they are very good quality by any standards and represent 2 off the God's of fortune and that the other 5 where almost certainly decorated within the other various mounts of the sword that these were originally made, he said that in his opinion they where very fine examples of the the Goto School and bear a style. To a work by "Goto Jujo" and are possibly by a pupil of his or a second generation pupil, he was the second master of the "Goto Saburoemon" family and his students often became. For the "Taka-bori Iroe" (painting in high relief with colored metals). It is possible that these Menuki are signed on the reverse but many are not and I do not want to pull them apart at this point.

Looking into the Goto school the earliest set of Menuki I could find illustrated which had a clear. In style where 1580 in date so these small metal objects clearly have history and are an important collecting field in their own right. How do antique sword mounts become 1900's cufflinks? Well in short as best as I can explain, Japan was a totally closed of country until what is now called the Meiji Restoration when Japan basically ended the old class system and brought the whole country back under Imperial rule in 1868.

At that point there was. 1.9 million Samurai in Japan who were seen as the upper class, this placed huge financial pressures on the.

Slowly placed under pressure to change there way of life. One very important change was they where no longer allowed to bear a sword and walk around armed with swords which to that point had been the. Of the Samurai and the way they denoted the higher rank and class that they had within Japanese society. Everything changed around them and the new Imperial government formed a conscripted peasant army which in effect got rid of the Samurai warrior class almost overnight.

This caused huge conflict and even a Samurai rebellion but nothing stopped the change. This all happened at a time when Japan was starting to get involved more with trade and politically with the rest of the world. This all created a huge interest and. For anything Japanese, it also made huge "schools" of the finest craftsmen who had been employed in the making of Samurai equipment and weapons unemployed and almost.

What happened with many of these Artists / craftsmen and their Schools was that they often went into employment making fine quality objects for the export market and the century old skills that they had learnt from one generation to another ended up used in the production of what are now regarded as some of the finest objects made anywhere in history, Meiji metalwork is often seen as just about the. Of metal production and finish. It also create an interest in all things Japanese and Antique with a big collectors market for Swords and their mounts, Netsuke and also. American and European collectors, this period was most active from the start of the Meiji restoration in the 1860's to about 1912 after which we had the first and then second World wars after which Japanese items and art had lost much of its.

Due to their involvement against our interests and their siding with Germans and its allies. Not something we have handled before but seriously nice unusual 18K Gentleman's cufflinks. They look like they have been sat in a draw for 50 years + and now just seeing the light of day again. 100% original antique estate item, not cleaned and exactly as they have been discovered.

Could do with a gentle clean but basically stunning original condition. Size: approx length of each side is 1.9 cm long.

What I have written is to the very best of our ability the best way we can describe the item presented, if you have more information you want us to add or more importantly feel we should add, then please say so, if you are in any way not 100% sure about something we have said or our description, then please do your own research about an item before you discuss price and any offer or just ask, our feedback is clear and we are. Interested in the items having been involved with Antiques and Art for 3. Please look at the images closely as they represent an important part of the description, thanks.

Fine 18/19th century Japanese Menuki Sword mount 18K mounted 1900's Cufflinks" is in sale since Saturday, February 23, 2019. This item is in the category "Jewellery & Watches\Men's Jewellery\Cufflinks". The seller is "established1923" and is located in cheshire, england. This item can be shipped worldwide.

  • Theme: sword mounts
  • Metal: 18k
  • Material: Gold
  • Country/Region of Manufacture: Japan
  • Metal Purity: 18Carat
  • Main Colour: Yellow


V. Fine 18/19th century Japanese Menuki Sword mount 18K mounted 1900's Cufflinks