Kantei

NH-0733 Rank 74

Tsuba · Hirata Hikozō

彦三 (Hirata Hikozō)

Round suaka tsuba with two pierced clouds and hiashi-yasuri filing, unsigned and attributed by the NBTHK to Hirata Hikozō, founder of the Hirata line of Higo. Jūyō Tōsōgu, Momoyama period.

TsubaMomoyama (1573–1615)Momoyama period (late 16th – early 17th century)NBTHK Jūyō Tōsōgu

Photographs by the seller at origin.

Description

A round (maru-gata) tsuba of suaka, unalloyed copper, attributed by its NBTHK paper to the first Hikozō, founder of the Hirata family of Higo, who trained in the Shōami tradition and served Hosokawa Sansai, following him to Kumamoto. The design is strikingly restrained: two pierced clouds set diagonally opposite each other embrace the seppa-dai, against a ground of hiashi-yasuri, radiating file marks that lend vigour to the whole surface. The rim is finished with a shibuichi fukurin in a rope (nawame) pattern, and there is a single round hitsu-ana. According to the paper it measures 7.9 × 7.8 cm. The photographs show a warm brown patina with well-settled lacquer, no rust and no damage; the seppa-dai shows the light rubbing of use. The piece was designated Jūyō Tōsōgu at the 55th NBTHK session (16 October 2009), which dates it to the Momoyama period, and it is published in the reference work Tōken Kinkō Meisakushū, Higo metalworkers volume, plate 71. It comes with its wooden box and cloth cover.

Strong points

  • Designated Jūyō Tōsōgu by the NBTHK (55th session, 2009)
  • Attributed to Hirata Hikozō, founder of one of the four great Higo lines
  • Published in Tōken Kinkō Meisakushū, Higo volume, plate 71
  • Suaka with hiashi-yasuri and a shibuichi nawame fukurin
  • Warm original patina, well preserved

Points to bear in mind

  • Unsigned: the authorship is an attribution by the paper
  • Light wear from use on the seppa-dai

Score breakdown

63/100

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 15 of 25 Unsigned, attributed by the paper to a master
  2. Workmanship 15 of 20 Notable work
  3. Condition 14 of 18 Good condition
  4. Period 11 of 12 Momoyama (1573–1615)
  5. Paper 8 of 10 NBTHK Jūyō Tōsōgu
  6. Extras 0 of 5 No complete set by the same maker and no inscribed box
  7. Price 0 of 10 Rank 227 of 228 by price among pieces of its type, from the most affordable to the dearest