Vintage 1940's Japan Damascene 24K Gold Plated Butterfly Necklace

Necklace is 16 inches, not including the butterfly pendant. Butterfly pendant is 1 1/2 inches wide and 2 1/2 inches long. TWO sets of screw back earrings. Damascening is the product of chiseling and inlaying different metals, typically gold or silver, into a dark, oxidize steel background. In jewelry, usually there are little scenes or patterns made. It's a beautiful process, traditionally hand done. Each piece is carefully hand chiseled, and then silver and gold foil from large spools are laid by hand in them. This art form has a history that goes back to Japan, as a way to decorate katanas, samurai swords. Damascening has been practiced by many cultures, but somewhere along the line began to be emulated, where pieces would be painted, rather than actually inlayed.