C337. Solid gold menuki, 3.9 x 1.4 cm each. The theme of this pair is Takara Zukashi: Treasures of many kinds. Shown are 4 of the treasures: Kakuregasa (hat of invisibility), Kanabukuro (endless treasure bag), Uchide no kozuchi (magic wishing hammer), and Kakure mino (cloak of invisibility). There are many other treasures but these four in combination usually refer to Momotaro, the Peach Boy. Momotaro won these treasures by fighting the Oni (demons) and protecting his people (a fitting theme for samurai).

The Maeda clan were the Daimyo of Kaga Province. Kaga was a quite wealthy province, rich in gold among other resources and the Maeda used their wealth to hire the best of kodogu artists.  Mainline Goto masters Kenjo and Teijo moved to Kaga and established the group we know today as Kaga Goto or Kaga Kinko. This set of menuki, which is in excellent condition, comes in a fitted box with pillow and with a Tokubetsu Hozon paper form the NBTHK in Tokyo, dated 2022: Mumei, Kaga Goto, Kin Mukuji (solid gold), Katachi Bori (carving style). My pictures were taken in 2 different natural lights – sunny and cloudy – they should give an accurate impression. Was $2,750, now $2,200.