Photographs
Photographs by the seller at origin.
The piece
Shakudō kozuka with a nanako ground and two doves, messengers of Hachiman, in gold and silver high relief among gilt branches; attributed by the original seller to Shokatei Motohiro.
Kozuka on the theme of Hachiman Daibosatsu, 八幡大菩薩図 (Hachiman Daibosatsu-zu), attributed by the original seller to Shokatei Motohiro. The photographs show a black shakudō plate with a fine, even nanako ground on which two doves are perched — the traditional messengers of Hachiman, protector deity of warriors — worked in high relief (takabori): one in gold and the other in silver with dark details, among fine branches and leaves inlaid in gold (zōgan, iroe). The composition is clean and well balanced, with a strong contrast between the dark ground and the precious metals. The patina appears even, the nanako shows no noticeable wear and the gilding is intact. According to the original seller it measures 9.70 × 1.48 × 0.60 cm, comes in a paulownia box and carries an NBTHK Tokubetsu Hozon Tōsōgu paper, which does not appear in the photographs.
Strong points
- Shakudō with a fine, even nanako ground
- Two doves in gold and silver takabori, emblem of Hachiman
- Gold-inlaid branches with intact gilding
- NBTHK Tokubetsu Hozon paper declared by the original seller
Points to bear in mind
- Only the front has been photographed, at low resolution; the signature on the reverse is not visible
- The declared paper does not appear in the photographs
- The dating is inferred from style; the listing only states the Edo period
Score
57.7 / 100
- Maker 19 of 25 Genuine signature of a known maker or school
- Workmanship 10 of 20 Good work
- Condition 14 of 18 Good condition
- Period 5 of 12 Late Edo (1781–1868)
- Paper 4 of 10 NBTHK Tokubetsu Hozon Tōsōgu
- Extras 0 of 5 No complete set by the same maker and no inscribed box
- Price 5.7 of 10 Rank 47 of 107 by price among pieces of its type, from the most affordable to the dearest
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.
Details
- Type
- Kozuka
- Maker
- Shokatei Motohiro
- Period
- Late Edo (1781–1868)
- Material
- Shakudō, Gold, Silver
- Paper
- NBTHK Tokubetsu Hozon Tōsōgu
- Signature
- Signature not established
- Technique
- Nanako (fish-roe ground), Takabori (high relief), Zōgan (inlay), Iroe (coloured inlay)
- Dating
- Late Edo period (19th century)