Kantei

NH-0659 Rank 107

Tsuba · Tōjusai Masakatsu

東壽斎政勝 (Tōjusai Masakatsu)

Oval shakudō tsuba with a bird of prey on a pine in high relief and two gilt small birds on the reverse, signed Tōjusai Masakatsu, with NBTHK Tokubetsu Hozon papers.

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

Photographs by the seller at origin.

Description

Tsuba of tatemarugata (upright oval) shape in shakudō with an arashi-ji, deliberately roughened surface, and a kaku-mimi ko-niku rim. On the front, an old pine reaches down from the upper edge while a bird of prey grips a trunk with its talons, carved in high relief and inlaid in gold, silver and shakudō (suemon zōgan iroe); a few gold bamboo leaves balance a composition that leaves generous open space. On the reverse, two gilt small birds in flight and a little rock with bamboo and gold grains. The signature, on either side of the central opening, reads 東壽斎 政勝 (Tōjusai Masakatsu) with kaō. According to the original seller, Minagawa Masakatsu of Aizu trained in Edo under Ishiguro Masatsune, from whom he received one character of his name; the seller places the piece around Bunsei–Tenpō and states that it is published in the catalogue "Aizu no bi". The photographs show a nuanced black patina, intact gilding, finely chiselled plumage and light surface marks on the plain field of the front; copper sekigane are fitted. The NBTHK Tokubetsu Hozon Tōsōgu paper, no. 2004422, dated 7 December 2017, accepts the signature. It comes in a fitted paulownia box.

Strong points

  • Signature 東壽斎 政勝 (Tōjusai Masakatsu) with kaō, accepted by the paper
  • NBTHK Tokubetsu Hozon Tōsōgu paper (2017)
  • Bird of prey in high relief in shakudō, gold and silver, with finely chiselled plumage
  • Composition with generous open space, in the Ishiguro bird-and-flower tradition
  • Original patina and intact gilding

Points to bear in mind

  • Copper sekigane are fitted in the central opening.
  • The dating to around Bunsei–Tenpō and the publication in "Aizu no bi" come from the original seller; the paper does not record them.
  • Light surface marks on the plain field of the front.

Score breakdown

60.6/100

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 15 of 20 Notable 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 3.6 of 10 Rank 147 of 228 by price among pieces of its type, from the most affordable to the dearest