Orchid Menuki

[Geoff Ward]

My friend down South just sent me some photos of a nice set of older menuki I was wondering if I could Get some help with the signature.Regards,Geoff

[ghp95134]

田中芳章 花押
Tanaka Yoshiaki With kaō signature

Edo period
I cannot find a lot about him, but I did find a pair of his menuki (only the menuki, check signature in bottom left image), and on a kodzuka here.

Note: the kogai, fuchi/kashira, and menuki set is gold -- and papered ... and valued at $12,000.
The note on that page talks briefly about Tanaka Yoshiaki:

目貫の作者である田中芳章も同じく江戸時代中期掛けて活躍した金工です。
後藤全乗の門人となり、江戸湯島天神下に住して創作活動に励みました。門人には薗部芳継がいます。初名は政 章。通称は悦之助,五左衛門です。
===
Yoshinaga Tanaka, the creator of the menuki, was a metalworker who also worked in the middle of the Edo period.
He became a disciple of Goto Zenjo, and lived at Edo Yushima Tenjin no Sh!ta and encouraged creative activities. He had a disciple named Sonobe Hashitsugu. His initial name was Masa'aki, commonly known as Etsunosuke and Gozaemon.

--Guy

[Geoff Ward]

Thank you Guy,Your talents are always Greatly appreciated!