This set of fuchi/kashira and menuki is a very nice example of the Soten school’s work. Copper, and silver inlay onto a shakudo base with thick gold foil uttori overlay are used to depict the story of the battles that took place around Kyoto during the Heian period. The work is deeply carved, with well blended gold highlights, backed by extremely fine nanako. The signature is crisp and proper signed, “So Hei Shi Soten Sei”. The menuki are not signed and they came associated with the fuchi kashira set and are of equal quality and condition.  It is rare to find a nice set of fuchi kashira and menuki, so if you have a matching tsuba, or as it is, this is a set worth consideration.
 

Middle Edo

 

$1450