Exquisite Gold Menuki by Banryuken Sadanaka

This exceptional pair of solid gold menuki showcases the artistry of Banryuken Sadanaka (Iwamoto family name), an accomplished student of the renowned master Ichinomiya Nagatsune. Active in Kyoto during the mid-Edo period (circa 1725–1750), Sadanaka’s work is highly prized for its refinement and elegance.

Each menuki is executed in solid gold with a background of exquisitely detailed nanako (fish-roe ground).

• One depicts a gardener with a rake beneath a pine tree, accompanied by a graceful crane in the distance.

• The other portrays a bijin (beautiful lady) beneath a pine tree, with flowing silver waves behind her and a tortoise at her side.

The crane and tortoise—both auspicious motifs—are enduring symbols of longevity, prosperity, and good fortune in Japanese art.

The menuki are signed individually: one with Banryuken and the other with Sadanaka, affirming their authenticity. They are accompanied by NBTHK Hozon papers, certifying both the quality of workmanship and the legitimacy of the signature.

A rare and important set, these menuki embody the sophistication of Edo-period craftsmanship and the artistic legacy of one of Nagatsune’s foremost students