Shakudo is an alloy of gold and copper, usually having around 4 to 10% gold and 90 to 96% copper, and here is a stunning antique Japanese Shakudo necklace.
Originally designed for swords such as the katana (long sword) fittings and other pieces such as the kozuka (the grip of a small knife) Japanese swords, after the end of the samurai class grew obsolete, the shakudo masters turned their attention to jewellery.
Dating from the Meiji period of the late 1800's, this necklace is set with twenty seven shakudo panels leading to a central one from which the butterfly is suspended.
The pieces have such motifs as the crane which stood for good fortune and longevity because of its fabled life span of a thousand year, butterflies which stood for many things including the cycle of life and the happiness of a young girl including wishing a woman a happy wedding and life, temples for obvious connection with Japanese religion of Buddhism and Shinto beliefs.
Laid out from end to end, the necklace measures 51cm in length and the butterfly itself measures 4.1cm wide and really makes such an elegant statement to an already incredible necklace. The way the pieces seem to lead the eye to the butterfly is just wonderful and this is such an elegant necklace that is not pretentious or ostentatious in the slightest.
Stunning from end to end, this antique Japanese Shakudo necklace is just perfect.
Stock# ES6875
Circa: 1880
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Out of stock
Antique Japanese Shakudo necklace
