Kozuka · Ko-Mino

Description

Unsigned kozuka attributed by the NBTHK paper to the 古美濃 (Ko-Mino) school, the metalworkers of Mino province active before the Edo period. The subject is the wild grapevine, 山葡萄 (yama-budō): leaves, tendrils and clusters of berries run across the front plate in a continuous band. The ground is shakudō worked in fine nanako and cut away deeply to leave the design in takabori, in the manner known as Mino deep carving; leaves and clusters carry a thick gold iroe, with a few leaves in a paler tone, while the tendrils remain in shakudō. The back is a plain plate of polished shakudō. The photographs show both faces, both ends and numerous details of the carving. The condition is good for its age: the gold is almost entirely preserved, although a few leaves show small losses and one tiny hole; the nanako is somewhat softened at one end and the back has fine scratches from use. The Tokubetsu Hozon paper, number 2009915, dated 10 October 2023, describes the piece as shakudō nanako-ji with takabori, iroe and zōgan-iroe. The original seller places it in the Momoyama period and gives dimensions of 10.2 × 1.5 cm; it comes in a custom-made paulownia box.