Kantei

NH-0589 Rank 332

Tsuba · Kaga kinkō

Shakudō tsuba with a nanako ground and the twelve zodiac animals in gilt high relief, unsigned and attributed by the NBTHK to the Kaga metalworkers (Tokubetsu Hozon).

TsubaLate Edo (1781–1868)Late Edo period (19th century)NBTHK Tokubetsu Hozon Tōsōgu

Photographs by the seller at origin.

Description

Vertically oval tsuba in shakudō with a fine, even nanako ground, depicting the twelve animals of the zodiac, the jūnishi (十二支). The front shows the dragon, which runs along the whole right side, the tiger, the horse, the hare and the dog; the back shows the ox, the rat, the monkey, the boar, the goat, the rooster and the snake. The figures are worked in takabori with iroe, mostly in gold and some in shakudō with gilt touches; both hitsu-ana and the rim are edged in gold. The dragon, with finely chiselled scales and claws, is the highlight of the composition. It measures 7.3 × 6.85 cm, with a seppa-dai thickness of 0.48 cm, according to the original seller. The piece is unsigned. The NBTHK Tokubetsu Hozon paper, no. 2001449, dated 26 February 2014, attributes it to the Kaga metalworkers (Kaga kinkō) and describes it as shakudō nanako, takabori, gold and silver iroe and a gilt rim. In the photographs the patina is dark and even, the nanako intact and the gilding preserved, with no visible rust or knocks; the central opening carries copper sekigane. The original seller places it in the late Edo period.

Strong points

  • NBTHK Tokubetsu Hozon paper no. 2001449
  • All twelve zodiac animals spread across both faces
  • Finely chiselled gilt dragon in high relief
  • Fine, even shakudō nanako ground with gilt rim and hitsu-ana

Points to bear in mind

  • Unsigned: the paper attributes it to the Kaga school, not to a named maker
  • Only one photograph of the piece, of modest resolution, and the rim edge is not shown
  • Copper sekigane in the central opening
  • The dating comes from the original seller and the style; the paper does not state it

Score breakdown

48.3/100

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.

  1. Maker 9 of 25 Attributed to a school only
  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 1.3 of 10 Rank 199 of 228 by price among pieces of its type, from the most affordable to the dearest