Kantei

NH-0801 Rank 158

Tsuba · Tegarayama Masashige

手柄山正繁 (Tegarayama Masashige)

Iron tsuba of aoi-mokkō shape with four pierced inome and plum blossoms in relief, signed by the smith Tegarayama Masashige and papered NBTHK Tokubetsu Hozon Tōsōgu.

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

Photographs by the seller at origin.

Description

Iron tsuba signed 手柄山正繁鍛 (Tegarayama Masashige kitau), the work of Tegarayama Masashige, a swordsmith from Harima province active, according to the original seller, roughly between 1760 and 1830. The shape is aoi-mokkō, with four inome (heart-shaped 'boar's eyes') pierced at the corners and an uchikaeshi-mimi rim. Plum (ume) blossoms, buds and scattered petals are carved in sunken shishiai-bori relief over a textured, granular iron ground, with the stamens in kebori; the reverse repeats the theme with a flowering sprig and two petals. The hitsu-ana is half-moon shaped. The photographs show a dark, stable patina with no active rust, light rubbing on the high points of the flowers and some lighter areas on the front; the central opening is fitted with yellow-metal sekigane. The NBTHK paper, Tokubetsu Hozon Tōsōgu dated 10 October 2023 (Reiwa 5), describes the piece as a shihō inome-sukashi baika chirashi-zu tsuba and confirms the signature. A swordsmith's tsuba of sober iron and restrained composition.

Strong points

  • Signature of Tegarayama Masashige confirmed by the NBTHK paper
  • Tokubetsu Hozon Tōsōgu paper (2023)
  • Aoi-mokkō shape with four pierced inome
  • Plum blossoms in shishiai-bori on both faces
  • Work of a swordsmith, uncommon among tsuba

Points to bear in mind

  • Yellow-metal sekigane in the central opening
  • Light rubbing on high points and lighter areas on the front
  • The period is inferred from the maker's active years; the piece is not dated

Score breakdown

58.5/100

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 19 of 25 Genuine signature of a known maker or school
  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 6.5 of 10 Rank 80 of 228 by price among pieces of its type, from the most affordable to the dearest