Vintage Japanese Silver Plate Baisse-taille Enameled Dragon Buckle

Jewelry : Vintage : Buckles

 

This gorgeous vintage Japanese silver plate buckle displays masterful basse-taile enamel work portraying a writhing dragon in jewel tones against a textured silver background. The metal surface is covered with a tiny dimpled texturing and scale textures before being enameled. This technique really brings the dragon to life. The buckle is unmarked but tests positive for sterling silver, but with some wear visible on the back that exposes some of the underlying brass.

Basse-taille, comes from the French word meaning "low-cut", describing how the metal surface is decorated with a low relief design which can be seen through translucent and transparent enamels.

Japanese enamel is called shippooyaki, also known as the "seven-jewel fired ware". Typically done on silver or copper - in this case silver plate, the enamel ware was of two broad types: that with cloisonne outlines on the surface (yuusen-shippooyaki) and that without (musen-shippooyaki). This buckle is of the latter type.

The buckle weighs26.6 gr. It measures 2.125" x 1.625".

Condition s good, the only exception being the wear through the silver plate visible on the back. This buckle did not have a reciprocal metal hook when received and I suspect it hooked directly into a loop of some material.

It is my pleasure to be currently offering up selections from a very fine collection of old buckles. The quality and workmanship of the enamel on this piece are unparalleled

Item ID: Tbdragon1109

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