Antique Japanese Edo Period Gilt Copper Menuki Pair of Wasps Suzumebachi In High Relief Cranes decorative combs and kanzashi have

decorative combs and kanzashi have been an important part of Japanese fashion

which is placed in a cone-like tube called a “tsutsu

green and red natural dyes which were applied using a paste resist printing process known as tsutsugaki to create these designs

and remains in very fine condition

Antique Japanese Edo Period Gilt Copper Menuki Pair of Wasps Suzumebachi In High Relief Cranes decorative combs and kanzashi haveA finely detailed pair of menuki (ornamental sword hilt fittings) depicting large wasps (suzumebachi ), cast and chiseled in copper alloy with traces of original gilding. The insects are rendered with lifelike accuracylarge compound eyes, articulated wings, and the characteristic narrow waistshowcasing the remarkable realism and natural observation typical of late Edo kink () craftsmanship. The wasp was a favored but relatively rare motif in samurai