An important Victorian elongated 14K rose gold oval shakudo ring depicting a scene of a mouse. The shank is engraved with orange blossoms. Circa 1870.
Shakudo is an ancient Japanese alloy of gold and copper, usually 4% gold to 96% copper, that is characterized by its velvety purplish-black color. Shakudo, shibuichi and mixed metal inlay were traditionally used to craft decorative Japanese sword fittings. Some of these sword fittings were incorporated into Western jewelry during the nineteenth century.
