Kantei

NH-0707 Rank 322

Tsuba · Hayashi

Polished iron tsuba with the whole field pierced as a fine net, unsigned and attributed by its NBTHK Tokubetsu Hozon paper to the Hayashi school.

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

Photographs by the seller at origin.

Description

Round tsuba, very slightly taller than wide, in iron with a polished surface, its whole field pierced as a fine net of lozenge-shaped meshes surrounding the seppa-dai and the two semicircular hitsu-ana. The paper describes it as 三つ浦透鐔 (mitsuura-sukashi tsuba), of 竪丸形 (tatemaru-gata) shape, 鉄磨地 (tetsu migaki-ji), 地透 (ji-sukashi) and 丸耳 (maru-mimi), and attributes it, unsigned, to the Hayashi school: 無銘 林 (mumei Hayashi). The Hayashi school of Higo province is known for iron openwork with clean lines and precise geometry. The photographs show both faces and several angled views: the net is complete, with no broken bars, fine and regular strands and a continuous rounded rim. The iron keeps a dark, stable patina on the net and rim; the seppa-dai appears lighter and mottled. There are copper sekigane in the central opening. The original seller gives 8.4 × 8.15 cm, 0.5 cm thickness and 93 g, and states it comes in a paulownia box. NBTHK Tokubetsu Hozon Tōsōgu paper no. 2003692, dated 8 November 2016.

Strong points

  • NBTHK Tokubetsu Hozon Tōsōgu paper
  • Attributed by the paper to the Hayashi school
  • Fine, complete net openwork with no broken bars
  • Polished iron with a dark, stable patina

Points to bear in mind

  • Unsigned: a school attribution, not a signed work
  • The seppa-dai is lighter and more mottled in tone than the rest
  • Copper sekigane in the central opening
  • The paper does not date the piece; the Edo dating comes from the original seller

Score breakdown

49.1/100

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 7.1 of 10 Rank 67 of 228 by price among pieces of its type, from the most affordable to the dearest