Photographs
Photographs by the seller at origin.
The piece
Openwork iron tsuba carved in high relief with sages in a moonlit landscape, inlaid with gold and silver, signed Sōheishi nyūdō Sōten of Hikone, Ōmi province.
Round iron tsuba of the Hikone-bori school, signed on the front 藻柄子入道宗典製 (Sōheishi nyūdō Sōten sei) and on the back 江州彦根住 (Gōshū Hikone-jū). Sōten, of the Kitagawa family, settled in Hikone in Ōmi province and gave his name to a style of openwork tsuba with figures and tales from Chinese and Japanese lore carved in high relief. According to the original seller, the subject is 高士観月図 (kōshi kangetsu-zu), recluse sages viewing the moon: the photographs show hermit figures and a child among pines, bamboo and a bridge, with gold clouds and a silver moon at the top. The scene is worked in ji-sukashi and takabori on both faces, with gold details on robes and leaves. The photographs show a dark, stable patina without active rust, the inlays preserved and small sekigane in the central hole. The original seller declares an NBTHK Tokubetsu Hozon Tōsōgu paper, which does not appear in the photographs.
Strong points
- Full signature 藻柄子入道宗典製 (Sōheishi nyūdō Sōten sei), with residence 江州彦根住 (Gōshū Hikone-jū)
- Scene of sages under the moon in openwork and high relief on both faces
- Gold inlays and a silver moon
- NBTHK Tokubetsu Hozon paper declared by the original seller
Points to bear in mind
- The declared paper does not appear in the photographs.
- Sōten is among the most imitated signatures; its acceptance rests on the declared paper.
- Small sekigane in the central hole, as usual.
Score
55.2 / 100
- Maker 9 of 25 Attributed to a school only
- Workmanship 15 of 20 Notable work
- Condition 14 of 18 Good condition
- Period 7 of 12 Mid-Edo (1688–1781)
- Paper 4 of 10 NBTHK Tokubetsu Hozon Tōsōgu
- Extras 0 of 5 No complete set by the same maker and no inscribed box
- Price 6.2 of 10 Rank 126 of 330 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
- Tsuba
- Maker
- Sōheishi nyūdō Sōten
- Period
- Mid-Edo (1688–1781)
- Material
- Iron, Gold, Silver
- Paper
- NBTHK Tokubetsu Hozon Tōsōgu
- Signature
- Signed
- School
- 彦根彫 (Hikone-bori)
- Inscription
- 藻柄子入道宗典製 (Sōheishi nyūdō Sōten sei) / 江州彦根住 (Gōshū Hikone-jū)
- Technique
- Sukashi (openwork), Takabori (high relief), Zōgan (inlay), Iroe (coloured inlay)
- Dating
- Mid-Edo period (18th century)