Kantei

NH-0619 Rank 238

Daishō tsuba · Norisuke

則亮 (Norisuke)

A daishō pair of iron tsuba with wheel openwork and engraved shippō motifs, signed by Norisuke of Owari; NBTHK Tokubetsu Hozon Tōsōgu paper.

TsubaLate Edo (1781–1868)Late Edo period (18th–19th century)NBTHK Tokubetsu Hozon Tōsōgu

Photographs by the seller at origin.

Description

A daishō pair of iron tsuba of mokkō shape by Norisuke, who signed both pieces 尾府金城下住則亮造 (Bifu Kinjōka-jū Norisuke zō): "made by Norisuke, living below Kinjō castle in Owari". The design combines a radial cart-wheel openwork (kuruma-sukashi) with motifs engraved in positive and negative kebori: interlocking shippō rings, four-petal lozenges and small flowers. The uchikaeshi-mimi rim carries an engraved kikkō hexagon pattern all the way round. The larger tsuba has both hitsu-ana plugged with shakudō; the smaller one only the kozuka opening. The photographs show an even, dark grey iron patina with no knocks or cracks, some stable brown rust on the inner walls of the openings and fine scratches on the shakudō plugs. Dimensions according to the original seller: 7.86 × 7.17 × 0.40 cm and 103 g for the larger; 7.32 × 6.72 × 0.40 cm and 89 g for the smaller. The NBTHK paper, no. 228194, dated 18 October 2007, certifies them as Tokubetsu Hozon Tōsōgu and records the signature on both. They come in a paulownia wood box.

Strong points

  • Complete daishō pair, signed on both pieces
  • NBTHK Tokubetsu Hozon Tōsōgu paper (2007)
  • Wheel openwork with positive and negative kebori engraving
  • Uchikaeshi rim engraved with kikkō hexagons
  • Hitsu-ana plugged with shakudō

Points to bear in mind

  • Norisuke is a little-documented provincial Owari craftsman
  • Stable brown rust on the inner walls of the openings
  • Fine scratches on the shakudō plugs
  • The dating comes from the original seller and the style; the paper does not state it

Score breakdown

54/100

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 19 of 25 Genuine signature of a known maker or school
  2. Workmanship 10 of 20 Good 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 2 of 10 Rank 183 of 228 by price among pieces of its type, from the most affordable to the dearest