Photographs
Photographs by the seller at origin.
The piece
Openwork shakudō tsuba on the Aoi no Ue theme: bamboo misu blinds and aoi leaves in fine gold inlay, signed 泰宗忠 (probable reading: Hata Munetada) with a seal.
A round, slightly oval tsuba (68.8 × 63.8 mm; 4.65 mm at the seppa-dai; 100.5 g, according to the original seller) in shakudō of a deep black tone. The theme, which the original seller titles Aoi no Ue, brings together bamboo misu blinds, clouds in relief, a spiral and aoi leaves with their tendrils, rendered in sukashi (openwork) and takabori. The blinds and the leaf veins carry very fine gold wire inlay (zōgan) in lattice and parallel lines; the ground is an even, granular ishime, and the smooth seppa-dai bears the gold-inlaid signature 泰宗忠 (probable reading: Hata Munetada) and a square seal. The photographs show a piece in good condition: dark, even patina, gold complete, crisp relief, with only light rubbing on the rim and fine hairline scratches on the reverse seppa-dai. The original seller declares an NBTHK Tokubetsu Hozon Tōsōgu paper and a paulownia box; neither is photographed. The seller also notes that the maker could not be found in the signature references. The period is estimated from the style.
Strong points
- Deep-toned shakudō with an even ishime ground
- Very fine gold inlay on the misu blinds and aoi leaves
- Openwork and high relief in a balanced composition
- Signature and seal inlaid in gold
- NBTHK Tokubetsu Hozon paper declared by the original seller
Points to bear in mind
- Maker not documented in the signature references, according to the original seller; the reading of the name is probable
- The declared paper is not shown in the photographs
- Period estimated from the style
- Fine hairline scratches on the reverse seppa-dai
Score
54.3 / 100
- Maker 19 of 25 Genuine signature of a known maker or school
- Workmanship 10 of 20 Good 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 2.3 of 10 Rank 255 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
- Hata Munetada
- Period
- Late Edo (1781–1868)
- Material
- Shakudō, Gold
- Paper
- NBTHK Tokubetsu Hozon Tōsōgu
- Signature
- Signed
- Inscription
- 泰宗忠 (Hata Munetada)
- Technique
- Sukashi (openwork), Takabori (high relief), Zōgan (inlay), Other technique
- Dating
- Late Edo period (19th century)