Kantei

NH-0722 Rank 338

Tsuba · Mino

Unsigned kurikomi mokkō tsuba in shakudō nanako with a gold rim decorated with chrysanthemums and scrolling foliage, attributed to the Mino school by an NBTHK Tokubetsu Hozon paper.

TsubaLate Edo (1781–1868)Probably late Edo period (late 18th–19th century)NBTHK Tokubetsu Hozon Tōsōgu

Photographs by the seller at origin.

Description

Unsigned tsuba attributed by its NBTHK paper to the Mino school and titled 菊花唐草図鐔 (kikka karakusa-zu tsuba), a guard with chrysanthemums and scrolling foliage. The shape is kurikomi mokkō, four lobes separated by small trefoil indentations, with two multi-lobed hitsu-ana. The plate is shakudō with a nanako ground of fine, very even granules laid out in concentric circles, and a plain seppa-dai. All the ornament is concentrated on the mimi: a gold rim with chrysanthemum blossoms and karakusa worked in nikubori with iroe over a granulated ground, which the paper describes as 肉彫色絵耳 (nikubori iroe mimi). The photographs show a stable black shakudō patina, crisp nanako and well-preserved gilding on the rim, with slight wear on the high points; the seppa-dai shows scuffs and small mounting marks, and the central opening carries copper sekigane. The original seller gives 7.17 × 6.51 cm, 0.53 cm thickness and 141 g, and supplies it in an uninscribed kiri wood box. NBTHK Tokubetsu Hozon Tosogu paper no. 2010939, dated 26 September 2024 (Reiwa 6).

Strong points

  • NBTHK Tokubetsu Hozon Tosogu paper (2024)
  • Fine, even shakudō nanako ground in concentric circles
  • Gold rim with chrysanthemums and karakusa in nikubori and iroe
  • Elegant kurikomi mokkō outline

Points to bear in mind

  • Unsigned: the paper attributes it only to the Mino school, with no maker
  • Copper sekigane in the central opening
  • Scuffs and small mounting marks on the seppa-dai
  • The late Edo dating is stylistic; the paper does not state a period

Score breakdown

47.9/100

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 5.9 of 10 Rank 94 of 228 by price among pieces of its type, from the most affordable to the dearest