Antique Japanese Edo Period Gilt Copper Menuki Pair of Wasps Suzumebachi In High Relief Cranes and remains in very fine

and remains in very fine condition

which is placed in a cone-like tube called a “tsutsu

They may be listed separately and available for sale

She measures about 4

green and red natural dyes which were applied using a paste resist printing process known as tsutsugaki to create these designs

Antique Japanese Edo Period Gilt Copper Menuki Pair of Wasps Suzumebachi In High Relief Cranes and remains in very fineA finely detailed pair of menuki (ornamental sword hilt fittings) depicting large wasps (suzumebachi ), cast and chiseled in copper alloy with traces of original gilding. The insects are rendered with lifelike accuracylarge compound eyes, articulated wings, and the characteristic narrow waistshowcasing the remarkable realism and natural observation typical of late Edo kink () craftsmanship. The wasp was a favored but relatively rare motif in samurai