Kantei

NH-0627 Rank 246

Tsuba · Hagiya Katsuhira

萩谷勝平 (Hagiya Katsuhira)

Polished iron tsuba signed by Hagiya Katsuhira of the Mito school, decorated solely with engraved calligraphy evoking famous landscapes; NBTHK Tokubetsu Hozon paper.

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

Photographs by the seller at origin.

Description

Iron tsuba with a polished ground (migaki-ji), in lobed mokkō form with indented sides and an uchikaeshi rim, signed by Hagiya Katsuhira, one of the leading metalworkers of the Mito school in the 19th century. The signature, engraved vertically on the front, is accompanied by a kaō inlaid in gold. The decoration is entirely calligraphic, a theme of "famous views in letters" (景勝文字尽図, keishō monji-zukushi zu): the front reads 立図楓 (probable reading: Tatsuta kaede, the maples of Tatsuta) and 住吉松 (Sumiyoshi matsu, the pines of Sumiyoshi); the back reads 東海旭 (Tōkai asahi, the rising sun over the eastern sea), 冨士雪 (Fuji yuki, the snow of Fuji) and 芳野桜 (Yoshino sakura, the cherry blossoms of Yoshino). The characters are cut in kebori with strongly modulated strokes. According to the original seller it measures 8.4 × 7.8 cm and is 0.9 cm thick. The photographs show a dark, slightly mottled patina with light surface marks and no visible active rust. The NBTHK Tokubetsu Hozon Tōsōgu paper, issued in 2018, confirms the signature with gold kaō.

Strong points

  • Signature of Hagiya Katsuhira with gold kaō, confirmed by the paper
  • NBTHK Tokubetsu Hozon Tōsōgu paper (2018)
  • Uncommon calligraphic theme of famous landscapes
  • Polished iron in mokkō form with uchikaeshi rim

Points to bear in mind

  • Slightly mottled patina with small surface marks
  • No photograph of the rim edge
  • Undated; the period is inferred from the maker's career

Score breakdown

53.5/100

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 1.5 of 10 Rank 194 of 228 by price among pieces of its type, from the most affordable to the dearest