Kantei

NH-0631 Rank 110

Kozuka · Issei

一誠 (Issei)

Polished shibuichi kozuka with fishermen's houses by the sea in sukidashi takabori and gold and silver iroe, signed Issei with kaō; NBTHK Tokubetsu Hozon Tōsōgu paper.

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

Photographs by the seller at origin.

Description

Kozuka signed 一誠 (Issei) with kaō, the work of Watanabe Issei, a metalworker from Aizu in Mutsu province. According to the original seller, he first trained in the Shōami technique under Hayashi Masamitsu and later under Funada Ikkin, a pupil of Gotō Ichijō, before returning to Aizu to open his own workshop. The subject, which the paper titles 海浜田舎家図 (kaihin inakaya-zu), is a view of country houses on the seashore. On the front, two thatched cottages in sukidashi takabori, with nets hung out to dry, bamboo sprigs and small dots of gold and silver in iroe, while the other half is filled with finely engraved waves. On the back, a row of fishing nets hanging from posts, drawn with a free hand, and the signature. The metal is shibuichi with a polished ground, the silvery grey known as oboro-gin. The photographs show an original, slightly mottled patina, the gold and silver intact and no knocks. It measures 9.7 × 1.5 cm according to the original seller. NBTHK Tokubetsu Hozon Tōsōgu paper issued in 2025, confirming the signature. Kept in a plain paulownia box without inscription.

Strong points

  • Genuine Issei signature with kaō, confirmed by the NBTHK paper
  • Tokubetsu Hozon Tōsōgu paper issued in 2025
  • Coastal landscape with houses in sukidashi takabori and gold and silver iroe
  • Back engraved with fishing nets, in keeping with the theme
  • Polished-ground shibuichi with original patina

Points to bear in mind

  • The shibuichi patina shows irregular dark mottling on both faces
  • The dating comes from the original seller's listing; the paper does not state it
  • Issei is a regional master from Aizu, not one of the great names of Japanese metalwork

Score breakdown

60.3/100

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 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 8.3 of 10 Rank 11 of 59 by price among pieces of its type, from the most affordable to the dearest