Photographs
Photographs by the seller at origin.
The piece
Shakudō kozuka with a nanako ground and two running boars in solid gold, attributed to Renjō, 10th master of the main Gotō line, by the engraved kiwame of the 13th master Kōkō.
Kozuka from the main line of the Gotō family, attributed to Renjō, the tenth master of the house (born in 1628 and head of the family from 1652, according to the original seller). The gold back plate is engraved with the attribution 廉乗作 (Renjō saku), signed by the thirteenth master 光孝 (Kōkō) with his kaō: a kiwame-mei, that is, an attribution made by a later master of the same family rather than the maker's own signature. The front, in black shakudō with a fine, even nanako ground, bears two wild boars (inoshishi) in solid gold, modelled in high relief with full, rounded volumes and fur chiselled in kebori, charging forward with a vitality typical of the school. Frame and ura-ita are gold. The photographs show the piece in good condition: crisp nanako, no loss of gold, no knocks or rust; some areas of the shakudō look slightly duller. The original seller gives dimensions of 96 × 14.3 mm, declares an NBTHK Tokubetsu Hozon paper that does not appear in the photographs, and supplies it in a plain paulownia box.
Strong points
- Main Gotō line, attributed to the 10th master Renjō
- Engraved kiwame by the 13th Gotō master Kōkō on the back
- Two solid-gold boars in high relief with kebori detail
- Shakudō ground with fine, even nanako
- NBTHK Tokubetsu Hozon paper declared by the original seller
Points to bear in mind
- The inscription is an attribution (kiwame-mei) by a later master, not Renjō's own signature.
- The NBTHK paper does not appear in the photographs.
- Some areas of the shakudō look slightly duller.
Score
62 / 100
- Maker 15 of 25 Unsigned, attributed by the paper to a master
- Workmanship 15 of 20 Notable work
- Condition 14 of 18 Good condition
- Period 9 of 12 Early Edo (1615–1688)
- Paper 4 of 10 NBTHK Tokubetsu Hozon Tōsōgu
- Extras 0 of 5 No complete set by the same maker and no inscribed box
- Price 5 of 10 Rank 54 of 107 by price among pieces of its type, from the most affordable to the dearest
The score shares out 100 points: Maker 25 · Workmanship 20 · Condition 18 · Period 12 · Paper 10 · Extras 5 · Price 10. It is computed from the record, not from an opinion. Maker, workmanship, condition and period are judged from the photographs and the paper; price is compared only with fittings of the same type.
Details
- Type
- Kozuka
- Maker
- Gotō Renjō
- Period
- Early Edo (1615–1688)
- Material
- Shakudō, Gold
- Paper
- NBTHK Tokubetsu Hozon Tōsōgu
- Signature
- Attributed (den)
- School
- Gotō
- Inscription
- 廉乗作 光孝 (Renjō saku Kōkō) [kaō]
- Technique
- Nanako (fish-roe ground), Takabori (high relief), Kebori (line engraving)
- Dating
- Early Edo period (17th century)