Kantei

NH-0674 Rank 327

Kozuka · Kyō-kinkō

Unsigned Kyō-kinkō kozuka with three horses in takabori on a shakudō nanako ground, with NBTHK Tokubetsu Hozon paper.

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

Photographs by the seller at origin.

Description

Unsigned kozuka attributed by its NBTHK paper to the metalworkers of Kyoto, 京金工 (Kyō-kinkō). The subject is the three horses, 三疋馬図 (sanbiki-uma-zu): two black shakudō horses and one gold horse gallop together in a lively, tightly knit composition. The ground is shakudō with fine, even nanako; the horses are carved in takabori, with manes, eyes and details in iroe of gold and a silvery grey metal. The frame and back plate are gold-coloured with a brushed-line finish. The photographs show the piece in good condition: crisp nanako, well-preserved relief and intact gold on the figures, with some scattered dark spots on the back plate. The NBTHK Tokubetsu Hozon Tōsōgu paper, dated 2021, describes it as shakudō nanako-ji, takabori and iroe. According to the original seller, it is kept in a paulownia wood box. Declared dimensions: 9.67 × 1.38 cm, 0.68 cm thick.

Strong points

  • NBTHK Tokubetsu Hozon Tōsōgu paper (2021)
  • Three-horse theme in takabori with gold iroe
  • Fine, even shakudō nanako ground
  • Good condition, with the gold on the figures intact

Points to bear in mind

  • Unsigned: the paper attributes it only to the Kyō-kinkō school, not to a named maker
  • The late Edo date is inferred from style; the paper does not state it
  • Scattered dark spots on the gold-coloured back plate

Score breakdown

48.6/100

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 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 6.6 of 10 Rank 21 of 59 by price among pieces of its type, from the most affordable to the dearest