Kozuka (knife handle) with flying crane and waves design

The front surface has a thin gold plate brazed over the black alloy of copper and gold. A flying crane and waves are engraved on the surface in a sequence of fine lines, using a chisel. It reveals the black lines of the base alloy underneath the gold surface, which shows the design clearly. The back surface has a file-mark pattern and bears an inscription of Goto Zenjo with kao (stylized signature). Zenjo (?-1797) was the 5th head of the Kaga Goto family which was the nucleus of the metal workers in the Kaga Province. He once lived in Edo (now Tokyo).