National Treasures & Important Cultural Properties
of National Institutes for Cultural Heritage, Japan

Colored in various hues, these pieces are thought to be reproductions of nail covers with inlaid cloisonné. The attributed artist Ninsei (also known as Nonomura Seiemon, d. 1694), the prominent Kyoto ware ceramicist of the latter half of the seventeenth century, was a master in the technique of overglaze enamels.
Although these small pieces have no identifiable stamp or inscription, the variegated paints of gold, silver, red, blue, and green, demonstrate the features of Ninsei's Omuro ware. Moreover, considering that these pieces came from the Marugame Kyôgoku clan, which is known for its rich collection of Ninsei works, it appears highly likely that these pieces are authentic.