NH-0818 Rank 335
Daishō fuchi-kashira · Tetsugendō school
Daishō pair of iron fuchi-kashira with shishi among clouds in high relief, highlighted in gold; mumei, attributed by an NBTHK Tokubetsu Hozon paper to the Tetsugendō school.
Photographs
Photographs by the seller at origin.
Description
A daishō set of two fuchi-kashira, one for the long mounting and one for the short, unsigned and attributed by the paper to the 鉄元堂派 (Tetsugendō-ha) school. This school, which arose in Kyoto around Tetsugendō Shōraku (d. 1780), is known for its mastery of iron. All four pieces depict shishi among scrolling clouds, with bamboo leaves and gold dots scattered across the composition. The paper describes the work as 鉄石目地 (tetsu ishime-ji), 鋤出高彫 (sukidashi takabori) and 象嵌色絵 (zōgan iroe): an iron ground with a stone-like texture, figures in high relief carved down from the metal itself, and coloured inlays. According to the original seller, the rims are shakudō. The photographs show both pairs from every side, with a dark, stable iron patina, the gold complete and the carving crisp; the kashira show some reddish areas typical of iron. NBTHK Tokubetsu Hozon Tōsōgu paper no. 2011396, dated 1 April 2025. The original seller gives weights of 41 g and 40 g per pair and mentions a paulownia box.
Strong points
- NBTHK Tokubetsu Hozon paper (2025) attributing the set to the Tetsugendō school
- Complete daishō set: two matching fuchi and two matching kashira
- Shishi in sukidashi takabori with gold and coloured inlays
- Iron with ishime ground and a dark, stable patina
Points to bear in mind
- Unsigned: a school attribution, not a named master
- Reddish areas on the iron of the kashira, near the side openings
- The period is inferred from style and the school's activity; the paper does not state it
Score breakdown
48.2/100
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 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 1.2 of 10 Rank 24 of 27 by price among pieces of its type, from the most affordable to the dearest