Kantei

NH-0528 Rank 8

Kōgai · Gotō Mitsuyoshi

後藤光美 (Gotō Mitsuyoshi)

Shakudō kōgai with a flying crane in takabori on a nanako ground, signed by Gotō Mitsuyoshi, fifteenth master of the main Gotō line, with an NBTHK Tokubetsu Hozon Tōsōgu paper.

KōgaiLate Edo (1781–1868)Late Edo period (first half of the 19th century)NBTHK Tokubetsu Hozon Tōsōgu

Photographs by the seller at origin.

Description

Kōgai signed 後藤光美 (Gotō Mitsuyoshi) with his kaō (monogram), a work by the fifteenth master of the main Gotō line. According to the original seller, Mitsuyoshi was born in 1780, the eldest son of the fourteenth master Mitsumori, succeeded as head of the house in 1804 and died in 1843; his posthumous name was Shinjō. The subject is a crane in flight (maizuru), carved in takabori on a shakudō nanako ground of fine, very even granules, with the plumage detailed by chisel. The whole piece is executed in shakudō alone, without gold or colour inlay (so-called mushakudō), a restrained idiom typical of the school's formal work. The head bears the scroll motif customary on Gotō kōgai. The signature, cut into the plain reverse, reads clearly in the photographs. They show a deep, even blue-black patina, crisp carving without wear, and only a few light marks on the lower part of the reverse. The NBTHK Tokubetsu Hozon Tōsōgu paper, no. 223307, dated 17 February 1998, accepts the signature. The piece is kept in a plain paulownia box without inscription.

Strong points

  • Signed by the fifteenth master of the main Gotō line, with kaō
  • NBTHK Tokubetsu Hozon Tōsōgu paper accepting the signature
  • Crane in takabori on a fine, even shakudō nanako ground
  • Mushakudō work, without gold or colour, of great restraint
  • Crisp carving and a deep, even patina

Points to bear in mind

  • Light surface marks on the lower part of the reverse, visible in the photographs
  • The paulownia box carries no expert inscription
  • The maker's biographical details come from the original seller

Score breakdown

73/100

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.

  1. Maker 25 of 25 Genuine signature of a first-rank master, confirmed by the paper
  2. Workmanship 15 of 20 Notable work
  3. Condition 14 of 18 Good condition
  4. Period 5 of 12 Late Edo (1781–1868)
  5. Paper 4 of 10 NBTHK Tokubetsu Hozon Tōsōgu
  6. Extras 0 of 5 No complete set by the same maker and no inscribed box
  7. Price 10 of 10 Rank 1 of 9 by price among pieces of its type, from the most affordable to the dearest