Yasushi Irikura vintage costume jewelry

Circle of the crane filigree brooch. Sterling silver, pearl, zircon crystals. 4.8 cm. 1960s. Yasushi Irikura vintage costume jewelry

Yasushi Irikura vintage costume jewelry
Any jewelry piece handcrafted in the 1950s by distinguished Tokyo master jeweler Yasushi Irikura is highly collectible. Many well-known jewelry companies in Japan reproduce his “crane” and “swan” designs. In particular, Mikimoto, Saitama and Tasaki. Irikura rarely marked his products, but the author’s technique of rigid openwork silver filigree allows to identify his jewelry. Noteworthy, “Tsurumaru” (Japanese for “circle of the crane”) became the prototype for the famous JAL logo. The open wings of the crane are a very old heraldic sign of the Japanese samurai clans, symbolizing loyalty, strength, nobility, immortality and heavenly blessing. Traditionally, the Japanese craftsman used freshwater pearls and natural zircon crystals, which he valued very highly.
Born in Tokyo in 1934, Irikura is a hereditary jeweler who studied metal art from childhood. Irikura opened his own workshop when he was a little over 20 years old. He was the chairman of the Japan Jewelry Association and has worked as an artist-designer and artistic director with many Japanese jewelry companies including Mikimoto, Para, Saitama and Tasaki. For his contribution to the development of the national jewelry art, the Government of Japan repeatedly awarded him.

Peacock filigree brooch. Sterling silver, movable dangle tail. 8.5 cm. 1950s