Pair of early 19th century Japanese sword menuki depicting two dancers - a samurai with sword, and a merchant with fan. There is a nice detail for a netsuke lover - merchant is wearing an inro suspended by a gourd netsuke. Elegant design, superb detailing with gilding, in excellent condition. Fantastic example of Japanese metalwork. Height 1 1/8 inches.

Pair of early 19th century menuki - Japanese sword fittings - each depicting a wasp in different attitude on a tube containing their eggs. Shakudo with gilding, fantastic design, superb casting and detailing, beautiful patina. Length 1 7/16 inches.

Pair of early 19th century Japanese sword menuki depicting young Yoshitsune and Benkei at the Gojo bridge in Kyoto. For an account of this significant encounter see H. Joly LEGEND IN JAPANESE ART, p. 82. Do not photograph well. Shakudo body, silver inlaid highlights, in great condition. Length of Yoshitsune menuki is 1 inch.

Pair of early 19th century menuki - Japanese sword fittings - each depicting different hanaike - hanging container for flower arrangement, one made out of a bamboo stem, the other out of a hollow double gourd. Fantastic unusual design in Japanese taste, excellent casting and detailing, beautiful patina. Length 1 7/16 inches.

Pair of 19th century Japanese sword menuki each depicting an undulating dragon among clouds in different attitude. Did not photograph well - photos came out too harsh. Excellent design, bronze with fire gilding, superb casting and detailing, beautiful patina. Length 1 7/8 inches.

Pair of early 19th century Japanese sword menuki depicting lobsters on a bed of sea weeds. One menuki has Daikoku mallet on top (stands for wealth), and the other a character meaning long life. Excellent work with great detailing - see various textures of the shells. Bronze with coppery patina, gilded water drops on the sea weeds, overall in great condition. Length 1 9/16 inches.

Pair of early 19th century Japanese sword menuki depicting what appears to be different proverbs. The first one llustrates a sentence “A gourd against a catfish” meaning useless effort similar to trying to catch a slippery fish with a gourd. The other one depicts a puzzled man scratching his head by a samurai spear - I am not sure what this particular story is. Elegant design, bronze and shakudo with silvering and gilding, overall in great condition. Length 1 9/16 inches.

Pair of early 19th century Japanese sword menuki each depicting a samurai with a weapon in different attitudes: one is wielding a sword, the other a naginata (a machete on a wooden shaft). Wonderful work, bronze with silver inlays and gilding, slight wear, in great condition. Length 1 1/16 inches.

Pair of early 19th century Japanese sword menuki depicting egrets wading in a stream with swirling water, grasses and flowering water lilies. Elegant design, bronze with silvering and gilding, overall in very good condition. Length 1 3/8 inches.

Pair of early 19th century Japanese sword menuki each depicting a pair of armored samurai in sword fights in different attitudes. Wonderful work, bronze with gilding, slight wear, in very good condition. Length 1 1/4 inches.

Pair of early 19th century menuki - Japanese sword fittings - each depicting a pigeon in different attitude. Superb design, excellent casting and detailing - see the differentiated feathers of the birds, gilded highlights, beautiful patina. Comes with kiriwood box, fitted cushion with stretchy bands for holding menuki. Length 1 inch.

Pair of early 19th century Japanese sword menuki depicting wild boars resting on rockery, one with young. Great design and detailing, bronze with dark patina, gold highlights. Length 1 1/2 inches.

Pair of 19th century Japanese sword menuki depicting kaki fruit - Japanese persimmon - on branches with leaves. Excellent design in Japanese taste. Bronze with beautiful brown patina, gold inlaid dewdrops on leaves, in great condition. Length 1 1/2 inches.

Pair of 19th century Japanese sword menuki each depicting a dancing shojo: one with a ladle and a fan, the other with a ladle and a cup. Shojo are mythical creatures living near the sea, and are particularly fond of sake. Nice design, bronze with gilding, overall in very good condition. Length 1 1/4 inches.

Pair of 19th century Japanese sword menuki each depicting a pair of frolicking shishi in different attitudes. Nice design, bronze with gilding, overall in very good condition. Length 1 3/8 inches.

Pair of early 19th century menuki - Japanese sword fittings - depicting water a shepherd boy playing flute leaning against a resting buffalo, and his basket by another resting animal. Did not photograph well. Great design and detailing (see the faces and ribs of the animals), beautiful dark patina, gilding and silvering. Length 1 inch.

Pair of early 19th century Japanese sword menuki each depicting a pair of geese resting on a riverbank by a willow tree. Bronze with brown patina, overall in good condition. Length 1 7/16 inches.

Single 19th century Japanese sword menuki depicting 7 shells with decoration on the inside. This rare subject is “kai-awase" - a Japanese game with painted shells, often depicting scenes from The Tale of Genji, as well as Genji-mon - crests representing individual chapters from the book, with 3 of them shown on this menuki. The aim of the game was to find the other half that would fit. Excellent work with superb detailing, bronze with silvering and gilding, beautiful patina, in great condition...