{"product_id":"shakudo-cufflinks","title":"Shakudo Cufflinks","description":"\u003cp\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-size: 12.0pt; mso-bidi-font-size: 10.0pt; font-family: Helvetica; mso-fareast-font-family: 'Times New Roman'; mso-bidi-font-family: 'Times New Roman'; color: #262626; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-fareast-language: EN-US; mso-bidi-language: AR-SA;\"\u003eShakudo is a Japanese alloy of copper with a small amount of gold that has a beautiful dark patina. Historically, it was used in Samurai swords to decorate the mountings, with scenes and figures overlaid in gold and silver.\u003cspan style=\"mso-spacerun: yes;\"\u003e  \u003c\/span\u003eWhen the Samurai were being abolished in the 1870’s the decorative parts of Samurai swords were often converted into jewelry, and the swordmakers turned their skills to jewelry production. \u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-size: 12.0pt; mso-bidi-font-size: 10.0pt; font-family: Helvetica; mso-fareast-font-family: 'Times New Roman'; mso-bidi-font-family: 'Times New Roman'; color: #262626; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-fareast-language: EN-US; mso-bidi-language: AR-SA;\"\u003eThese wonderful cufflinks were made from two Menuki, which are small decorative items that originally were bound into the handle of a Samuai sword to improve the grip. One of the Menuki depicts two rats flanking bales, out of which a cute critter's head has popped to look around. The other Menuki depicts a fisherman; while this Menuki is fairly worn, smoothing out the details, a fish can be seen in the lower right peeking from behind his golden trousers and foot.\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-size: 12.0pt; mso-bidi-font-size: 10.0pt; font-family: Helvetica; mso-fareast-font-family: 'Times New Roman'; mso-bidi-font-family: 'Times New Roman'; color: #262626; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-fareast-language: EN-US; mso-bidi-language: AR-SA;\"\u003eBased on the style of the cufflink fitting, the antique Menuki were converted into cufflinks in the mid-20th century.\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-size: 12.0pt; mso-bidi-font-size: 10.0pt; font-family: Helvetica; mso-fareast-font-family: 'Times New Roman'; mso-bidi-font-family: 'Times New Roman'; color: #262626; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-fareast-language: EN-US; mso-bidi-language: AR-SA;\"\u003eScroll down for more details\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e","brand":"Lisa Kramer Vintage Collection","offers":[{"title":"Default Title","offer_id":49528448712859,"sku":"LK2510","price":175.0,"currency_code":"USD","in_stock":true}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0602\/6444\/8155\/files\/P1130728.jpg?v=1789507559","url":"https:\/\/lisakramervintage.com\/products\/shakudo-cufflinks","provider":"Lisa Kramer Vintage Collection","version":"1.0","type":"link"}