NH-0759 Rank 324
Tsuba · Yoshirō
Round polished-iron tsuba with scattered crests and fine branches in inlaid brass, unsigned and attributed by its NBTHK Tokubetsu Hozon paper to the Yoshirō school.
Photographs
Photographs by the seller at origin.
Description
Round iron tsuba (marugata) with a rounded rim (maru-mimi), unsigned. The NBTHK paper describes it as 紋散図鐔 (monchirashi-zu tsuba), "tsuba with scattered crests", and attributes it to the Yoshirō school (与四郎, Yoshirō). The polished plate (tetsu migaki-ji) is covered by a network of fine branches in flush brass inlay (shinchū hira-zōgan), among which seven mon are distributed — kikyō, four-petalled flowers and a three-leaf crest — carved in brass with kebori details and set within pierced rings (ko-sukashi). Both hitsu-ana are lined with brass. The photographs show a natural dark-brown patina, well-preserved brass with light wear, and a few small spots of superficial reddish rust on the front; there is a small copper filler in the central opening. The original seller gives dimensions of 8.9 × 8.6 cm and 0.4 cm thickness. NBTHK Tokubetsu Hozon Tōsōgu paper, no. 2000011, dated 1 May 2012. It comes in a box with a cushion, with no visible inscription.
Strong points
- NBTHK Tokubetsu Hozon Tōsōgu paper (2012)
- Yoshirō style: pierced crests and flush brass inlay on polished iron
- Composition of seven scattered mon over a ground of fine branches
- Natural patina and well-preserved brass
Points to bear in mind
- Unsigned: school attribution according to the paper
- Small spots of superficial reddish rust on the front
- The period is inferred from style; the paper does not state it
- Small copper filler (sekigane) in the central opening
Score breakdown
48.7/100
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.
- Maker 9 of 25 Attributed to a school only
- Workmanship 10 of 20 Good work
- Condition 14 of 18 Good condition
- Period 9 of 12 Early Edo (1615–1688)
- Paper 4 of 10 NBTHK Tokubetsu Hozon Tōsōgu
- Extras 0 of 5 No complete set by the same maker and no inscribed box
- Price 2.7 of 10 Rank 166 of 228 by price among pieces of its type, from the most affordable to the dearest