MENUKI 
by 
Yamazaki Ichiga (Kazuyoshi)



Mid 1700's

NBTHK  "Tokubetsu Hozon" papers.

Yamazaki Ichiga  is the founder of the well regarded Ichiga School.

He was a student of Goto Jujo 就乘, the second master of the Goto Saburoemon family.  Jujo died in 1744.

Yamazaki Ichiga's art name is Kosui (), and he worked in Kyoto,  Yamashiro Province, in the mid Edo period. He had a very good reputation for taka-bori iroe (painting with colored metals). He worked in the style of the mainline Goto masters, and it is said that his work was equal in quality to the Goto of his time.

Several styles of his signature exist, and it is thought that there may be more than one generation using this signature.

These menuki are signed on inserted plaques (tanzaku mei). The top plaque says Ichiga, the bottom says Yamazaki. Also visible is the rosin used in mounting these menuki to the tsuka.

The base metal is shakudo, with thick and thin inlays of gold and silver.  The thick layers of applied gold can clearly be seen at the  bottom edges of both menuki.

The composition of these menuki is of two sitting court figures, with flowing robes. The robes are covered with gold mon (crests). One figure is holding out a flowering branch with a Pheasant sitting on it, as though offering it to the figure with Kiri mon on his robes. This second figure also has mon on his "pants". The figure holding the branch and pheasant seems to have a mon consisting of two Oak leaves covering his robe. 

(If anyone is familiar with this subject, please let us know.)