Victorian Japanese Shakudo Gilt Locket with Inlaid Plaques

• Shakudo - Japanese shakudo is a traditional alloy that has been used in Japan for centuries. It is primarily composed of copper and gold, with the copper serving as the base metal and the gold adding a yellowish hue to the alloy. Shakudo is known for its beautiful dark blue-black or black colour, which is achieved through the addition of a small amount of a patina-inducing element like silver or arsenic.
  
  The word "shakudo" itself can be translated as "red copper" in Japanese, referring to the reddish-brown color of the pure copper base metal before it is patinated. The gold content in shakudo is usually around 4-10%, but this can vary depending on the specific purpose or desired appearance.
  
  Shakudo has been traditionally used in various forms of decorative arts and crafts in Japan. It is particularly associated with metalwork, including sword fittings (such as tsuba, menuki, and kashira), jewelry, and small ornamental objects. The alloy's dark color provides a striking contrast to other metals like silver or gold, making it ideal for intricate inlay work or as a background for other decorative elements.
• Victorian Period - The Victorian period of furniture and decorative arts design covers the reign of Queen Victoria from 1837 to 1901. There was not one dominant style of furniture in the Victorian period. Designers used and modified many historical styles such as Gothic, Tudor, Elizabethan, English Rococo, Neoclassical and others, although use of some styles, such as English Rococo and Gothic tended to dominate the furniture manufacture of the period.
  
  The Victorian period was preceded by the Regency and William IV periods, and followed by the Edwardian period, named for Edward VII (1841 ? 1910) who was King of the United Kingdom and the British Dominions and Emperor of India for the brief period from 1901 until his death in 1910.
• Circa - A Latin term meaning 'about', often used in the antique trade to give an approximate date for the piece, usually considered to be five years on either side of the circa year. Thus, circa 1900 means the piece was made about 1900, probably between 1895 and 1905. The expression is sometimes abbreviated to c.1900.

This item has been included into following indexes:

• oriental jewellery
  • Japanese shakudo 15
  • pendants and lockets 554
  • Shakudo jewellery 14