C338. Solid gold menuki with Tokubetsu Hozon paper to Kaga Kinko. 4.7 x 1.7 cm and 4.8 x 1.7 cm. There be dragons here: nice ones.

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 2023: Mumei, Kaga Kinko, Kin Mukuji (solid gold), Katachi Bori (carving style). My pictures were taken in 2 or 3 different natural lights – sunny and cloudy – they should give an accurate impression. Was $2,995, now $2,300.