Kantei

NH-0601 Rank 9

Mitokoromono · Gotō Mitsumori

後藤光守 (Gotō Mitsumori)

Three-piece set (mitokoromono) on the theme of Kōsekikō and Chōryō, in shakudō nanako with takabori and iroe; kozuka and kōgai signed by Gotō Mitsumori, 14th head of the Gotō main line. Jūyō Tosogu paper.

Mitokoromono (menuki, kozuka and kōgai)Late Edo (1781–1868)Late Edo period (late 18th century)NBTHK Jūyō Tōsōgu

Photographs by the seller at origin.

Description

A complete mitokoromono —kozuka, kōgai and a pair of menuki— devoted to one of the most cherished Chinese themes in sword fittings: the old sage Kōsekikō and the young Chōryō, later a great strategist of the Han dynasty. On the kōgai, Chōryō wrestles a great serpent among the waves to retrieve the shoe the old man dropped from the bridge; on the kozuka, Kōsekikō rides across an earthen bridge; the menuki show Chōryō receiving the teachings of strategy. The plates are shakudō with a nanako ground, the figures in takabori with gold and silver iroe, and the backs of the kozuka and kōgai are gilt (urafukin); the menuki are carved in the round in shakudō with gold. The kozuka and kōgai bear the signature of Gotō Mitsumori with kaō; the menuki are unsigned and the paper attributes them to the same maker. Mitsumori (Keijō, 1741-1804) was the 14th head of the Gotō main line, and his signed works are scarce. According to the photographs, the set retains the black shakudō patina and the gilding on the high points, with no visible damage. The set was designated Jūyō Tosogu at the 37th NBTHK session (1991), which places it in the late Edo period. The original seller states that it comes with a paulownia box.

Strong points

  • Jūyō Tosogu designation (37th session, 1991)
  • Kozuka and kōgai signed by Gotō Mitsumori, 14th head of the Gotō sōke
  • Classic Kōsekikō and Chōryō theme spread across the three pieces
  • Shakudō nanako with takabori and gold and silver iroe, gilt backs
  • Signed works by Mitsumori are uncommon, according to the paper

Points to bear in mind

  • The menuki are unsigned: their authorship is an attribution by the paper
  • The photographs of the piece are a composite of limited resolution

Score breakdown

72.3/100

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 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 8 of 10 NBTHK Jūyō Tōsōgu
  6. Extras 3 of 5 Adds: complete set by the same maker
  7. Price 2.3 of 10 Rank 11 of 14 by price among pieces of its type, from the most affordable to the dearest