Kantei

NH-0671 Rank 306

Kozuka · Kaga-Gotō

Shakudō kozuka with a nanako ground and two rhinoceroses in takabori with gold and silver iroe, unsigned and attributed to the Kaga-Gotō school by an NBTHK Tokubetsu Hozon paper.

KozukaLate Edo (1781–1868)Edo periodNBTHK Tokubetsu Hozon Tōsōgu

Photographs by the seller at origin.

Description

Unsigned kozuka attributed by the NBTHK to the Kaga-Gotō school, the branch of the Gotō family that worked for the Kaga domain. The omote, in shakudō over a fine and even nanako ground, shows two sai (mythical rhinoceroses) in takabori, one behind the other, with carapaces of hexagonal plates, manes and tails in gold and horns in silver. The ura is plain polished shakudō. The photographs show the nanako intact, crisp relief and complete gilding; the ura bears fine wear scratches. The NBTHK Tokubetsu Hozon Tōsōgu paper, no. 2003217, dated 26 February 2016, describes it as 二疋犀図小柄 (nihiki sai-zu kozuka), 無銘 (mumei), 赤銅魚子地 高彫 金銀色絵 (shakudō nanako-ji takabori kin-gin iroe). According to the original seller it measures 9.77 × 1.44 cm and is kept in a paulownia wood box.

Strong points

  • NBTHK Tokubetsu Hozon Tōsōgu paper (2016)
  • Attributed to the Kaga-Gotō school
  • Two rhinoceroses in takabori with gold and silver iroe
  • Fine, even nanako ground in good condition

Points to bear in mind

  • Unsigned: the paper attributes it to the school, not to a specific master
  • Fine wear scratches on the polished ura
  • The paper does not specify the sub-period within Edo

Score breakdown

49.9/100

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 9 of 25 Attributed to a school only
  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 7.9 of 10 Rank 13 of 59 by price among pieces of its type, from the most affordable to the dearest