NH-0807 Rank 171
Kozuka · Yoryūken Chikayuki
豫柳軒親随 (Yoryūken Chikayuki)
Polished shibuichi kozuka showing Fugen Bosatsu on the white elephant in high relief with gold, signed Yoryūken Chikayuki with kaō, with NBTHK Tokubetsu Hozon Tōsōgu papers.
Photographs
Photographs by the seller at origin.
Description
Kozuka signed on the reverse 豫柳軒親随 (Yoryūken Chikayuki) with his kaō. According to the original seller, Chikayuki, family name Hiraishi, worked in Toyama, Etchū province, in the bakumatsu period and was permitted to use the names of both the Hamano and Nara schools, in whose workshops he trained. The subject is Fugen Bosatsu, the bodhisattva of practice, seated on his white elephant and holding a sutra scroll, framed by a broad gold halo. According to the papers, the ground is polished shibuichi (migaki-ji), worked in sukidashi takabori (high relief cut down from the ground) with iroe; the photographs show gold on the halo, necklaces, robes, tusks, eyes and the elephant's toenails, and very fine modelling of the face, trunk and drapery. The dark patina is even and the relief is crisp; a few small reddish spots are visible at the edge of the halo. The original seller gives 9.91 cm in length, 14.5 mm in width and 31.2 g. The piece carries NBTHK Tokubetsu Hozon Tōsōgu papers no. 2011427, dated 1 April 2025, which record the signature.
Strong points
- NBTHK Tokubetsu Hozon Tōsōgu papers (2025) accepting the signature
- Signed Yoryūken Chikayuki with kaō, an artist trained in the Hamano and Nara schools
- Fugen Bosatsu on the white elephant in sukidashi takabori with gold iroe
- Polished shibuichi ground with an even dark patina
- Crisp relief with no wear on the high points
Points to bear in mind
- Small reddish spots at the edge of the gold halo
- The dating comes from the artist's biography; the piece itself is undated
- The wooden box mentioned by the original seller is not shown in the photographs
Score breakdown
57.9/100
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 19 of 25 Genuine signature of a known maker or school
- Workmanship 15 of 20 Notable work
- Condition 14 of 18 Good condition
- Period 5 of 12 Late Edo (1781–1868)
- Paper 4 of 10 NBTHK Tokubetsu Hozon Tōsōgu
- Extras 0 of 5 No complete set by the same maker and no inscribed box
- Price 0.9 of 10 Rank 54 of 59 by price among pieces of its type, from the most affordable to the dearest