Unusual set of Ezo menuki (蝦夷目貫), with a peony (botan 獅子) motif. Executed in an alloy called rogin (鑞金) with gold gilding. Rogin is a similar alloy to shibuichi, but with a broader range of silver content. Workmanship is excellent, which is typical of early Ezo work. Each menuki is unique, and crafted individually, not molded. They are executed in a carving technique called katachibori (容彫), where the subject itself becomes the outline of the menuki. The front of the menki are finished with deep carving, resulting in sharp definition. The steep walls are somewhat unusual for Ezo work, and may suggest an influence of Ko-Mino tradition, with which Ezo overlapped during the early Muromachi. The backs have posts termed In yō-kon, lit. positive (in ) and negative (yō ) roots. which were originally longer, and intended to join in the mekugi-ana. Likely these menuki originally adorned a high quality koshigatana koshirae, or possibly a tachi.
Measurements: max 2.9cm x 2.0cm x 0.55cm
Early - mid Muromachi Period (室町前期), 15th century
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