This is an interesting pair of menuki made of a combination of shakudo and shibuichi. They are in the form of Japanese eggplants. The are very large measuring 6.9 cm by 1.5 cm or 2 11/16 inches by 5/8 inches for the larger one and 5.7 cm by 1.1 cm or 2 1/4 inches by 7/ 16 inches for the smaller one. They probably date to the middle to late Edo era (late 1700’s to early 1800’s). The come in a specialy made wooden box. This is a very unusual and interesting set of menuki.
