Photographs
Photographs by the seller at origin.
The piece
Shakudō kozuka with nanako ground and gourds (hyōtan) in takabori with gold dewdrops, attributed to Gotō Sōjō, second master of the main Gotō line, Muromachi period.
Kozuka from the main Gotō line, attributed to its second master, Gotō Sōjō (1461-1538). According to the original seller, the reverse bears the attribution inscription 紋宗乗 光守 (mon Sōjō Mitsumori) with kaō, by which Gotō Mitsumori, fourteenth head of the line, recognised the work as Sōjō's. The subject is gourds (hyōtan) with leaves, a flower and tendrils, a summer motif associated with vitality and abundant descendants. The photographs show a black shakudō ground with fine, regular nanako and the motif set in the centre of the plate in high-volume, softly modelled takabori, with dewdrops of inlaid gold; the gilt frame corresponds to a gold-covered uraita. The visible condition is good: deep patina, no rust or knocks, with slight wear on the high points. It measures 96.5 × 14.4 mm. The original seller declares an NBTHK Tokubetsu Hozon paper and an authentication note by Dr Satō Kanzan, together with a paulownia box; none of them appears in the photographs.
Strong points
- Attributed to Gotō Sōjō, second master of the main Gotō line
- High-volume takabori on a shakudō nanako ground
- Inlaid gold dewdrops and gold-covered uraita
- Muromachi-period work
- NBTHK Tokubetsu Hozon paper declared by the original seller
Points to bear in mind
- An attribution (kiwame-mei by Gotō Mitsumori), not a signature by Sōjō
- The inscribed reverse and the paper are not shown in the photographs
- Only one photograph of the front is available
Score
63.2 / 100
- Maker 15 of 25 Unsigned, attributed by the paper to a master
- Workmanship 15 of 20 Notable work
- Condition 14 of 18 Good condition
- Period 12 of 12 Muromachi or earlier (before 1573)
- Paper 4 of 10 NBTHK Tokubetsu Hozon Tōsōgu
- Extras 0 of 5 No complete set by the same maker and no inscribed box
- Price 3.2 of 10 Rank 73 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
- Gotō Sōjō
- Period
- Muromachi or earlier (before 1573)
- Material
- Shakudō, Gold
- Paper
- NBTHK Tokubetsu Hozon Tōsōgu
- Signature
- Attributed (den)
- School
- 後藤 (Gotō)
- Inscription
- 紋宗乗 光守 花押 (mon Sōjō Mitsumori kaō)
- Technique
- Takabori (high relief), Nanako (fish-roe ground), Zōgan (inlay)
- Dating
- Late Muromachi period (late 15th – early 16th century)