NH-0515 Rank 112
Tsuba · Sōten (Hikone school)
宗典 (Sōten)
Round shakudō tsuba with dragons among waves in high relief, signed by Sōten of Hikone and certified Tokubetsu Hozon Tōsōgu by the NBTHK.
Photographs
Photographs by the seller at origin.
Description
Round tsuba signed 藻柄子入道宗典製 (Sōheishi Nyūdō Sōten sei) on the obverse and 江州彦根住 (Gōshū Hikone-jū) on the reverse, from the workshop of Sōten, founder of the Hikone school in Ōmi province. The theme is 波龍図 (nami ryū zu), dragons among waves: on the obverse two dragons rise from a turbulent sea; on the reverse the waves continue around rocks. The paper describes the work as shakudō-ji with sukidashi takabori, tsuyu zōgan and iroe, with a nikubori-mimi rim, and the photographs confirm it: a ground of finely engraved water lines, silver dewdrops, gold eyes and accents, and a carved edge that carries the swell around the rim. The school is best known for warrior scenes on iron, so a shakudō piece is less common. The photographs show an intact black patina with no rust or damage, and a small greenish spot beside the central opening. Certified Tokubetsu Hozon Tōsōgu by the NBTHK on 8 November 2016 (no. 2003739); the paper accepts the signature. Dimensions according to the original seller: 7.4 × 7.1 cm, rim 0.4 cm.
Strong points
- Sōten signature accepted by the NBTHK Tokubetsu Hozon paper
- Shakudō, an unusual material for the Hikone school
- Sukidashi takabori high relief with silver dewdrops and gold accents
- Continuous carving on both faces and around the rim
- Intact original patina
Points to bear in mind
- The Sōten signature is among the most imitated and the name was used by several generations of the workshop; here it is confirmed by the paper
- The paper does not state the period; Late Edo is the original seller's attribution
- Small greenish spot beside the central opening on the obverse
Score breakdown
60.3/100
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.
- Maker 19 of 25 Genuine signature of a known maker or school
- Workmanship 15 of 20 Notable work
- Condition 14 of 18 Good condition
- Period 5 of 12 Late Edo (1781–1868)
- Paper 4 of 10 NBTHK Tokubetsu Hozon Tōsōgu
- Extras 0 of 5 No complete set by the same maker and no inscribed box
- Price 3.3 of 10 Rank 154 of 228 by price among pieces of its type, from the most affordable to the dearest