www.925-1000.com

I am more than glad to help in this project. I have a modest collection of Modernist and Contemporary jewelry by American studio artists.
Fred

Thanks MIke, I have added it and many others since my last post here. Another excellent site for marks found on Japanese damascene and other cigarette cases is "SmokingSamurai.com"

A good friend has created a site dedicated to Japanese cigarette cases and those who made them. Your box was made by Ashihara.

This is from his site.

http://www.smokingsamurai.com/ASHIHARA.html

Fred

Additional information continues to be found for the maker of items marked with the mark used on this buckle converted to brooch. A cigar case with similar decoration as that found on the brooch and using the same etching process was found in it's original box and the box contains a cloth label mark...

Recent information has identified that the Mt. Fuji mark was used by the Fujii Damascene Company. I have seen object from this company that may date to the early part of the 20th century and advertisements posted in magazines as late as the early 1940s.

Mike,
With your permission I would like to add the mark on your brooch to my online image site. The etched brass metalwork imitating nunome-zogan work is prolific and it is important to document it.
Fred

Another bit of information relating to David Ross' observation of the stylized 井 at the bottom of the Mt Fuji. Fuji combined with this Kanji character may refer to a name Fujii. We had a related post on this forum. http://www.925-1000.com/forum/viewtopic.php?f=29&t=39124&p=107692&hilit=f...

I somehow missed this post. The Mt Fuji mark is often seen with a signature. We have good evidence that perhaps the signature which translates to Yoshihiko Saku or "made by Yoshihiko" is perhaps the maker of the Mt Fuji marked items. The items are not damascene work and instead intricate e...

Hi David,

Welcome to the forum. As you are aware the news of this maker is an important discovery.

Thanks for sharing.

Fred

Hi David,

Thanks for your encouraging support. I am in debt to several folks who are helping in the task. I solicit the help of anyone who can help us make this a viable source for information.

Fred

Cris,
The mark on you cigarette case if from the Kawano Yoshinosuke shop, Yokohama. My site of marks is bearing fruit.
Fred

I suspect it will be difficult to associate the mark on your case to a particular craftsman of studio. There were many who worked in nunome zogan metalwork and few are documented. The kanji characters can be confusing and are sometimes translated in many ways. I have started an image inventory with ...

Hi Trev,
Once you are into the image site and open the images up. You will see that I have begun translating the Kanji characters. I am being assisted by a Japanese gentleman. This will be a lifelong project.
Fred

I have undertaken a project to document marks used on Japanese damascene work. Nunome zogan is the Japanese term used to describe the process.
Here is the link:
https://plus.google.com/photos/10243567 ... banner=pwa
I hope this proves to be useful.
Fred

Gold is sometimes used though it looks as if the brilliant highlights are the bare copper or shakudo exposed by the engraving on the design. Gold would have been used sparingly because of its cost.

Fred

also welcome from here. Look forward to see your items. This is not shakudo but its also mixed metal http://www.925-1000.com/forum/viewtopic.php?f=13&t=31700&p=79292&hilit=cigaret+case+japan#p79292 Thank you for your welcome. And as it turns out your cigarette case is made with shakudo....

Here is an example of a sample I made using fine silver, 4% shakudo & copper.

Fred

Your cigarette cases are made using at least three different alloys and these alloys have been butt soldered to each other using a high temp silver solder. The precision is great and you will not usually see a solder seam at the juncture of the alloys. The alloys are a high grade of silver, usually ...

This is the mark of Komai Seibei son or Komai Otojiro. The Komai family is one of the best known of those who practiced the art of nunome zogan.
Fred