Photographs
Photographs by the seller at origin.
The piece
Iron aorigata tsuba with autumn maple leaves in relief, flecked with gold nunome zōgan, signed 皇都住義照 (Kōto-jū Yoshiteru) with kaō. Late Edo period.
Iron tsuba of aorigata shape, made from a thin, flat plate, signed on the reverse 皇都住義照 (Kōto-jū Yoshiteru) with his kaō. According to the original seller, Satō Yoshiteru trained first under Araki Tōmei and later under Gotō Kanbei Mitsufumi, worked in Kyoto and, after the Restoration, joined the Osaka Mint and received awards at national and international exhibitions. The subject is maple leaves falling in the wind: the ground is cut back to leave the leaves in relief, the veins are drawn in very fine kebori, and the autumn colouring is suggested by patches of gold nunome zōgan. The leaves run over the rim from one face to the other, a device that gives continuity and movement to the composition. The photographs show a dark, stable iron patina with no active rust, crisp relief and well-preserved gold. The piece is presented in a wooden box with a textile lining. The original seller declares an NBTHK Tokubetsu Hozon paper, which does not appear in the photographs, and gives dimensions of 84 × 77 mm with a thickness of 3 mm at the seppa-dai.
Strong points
- Legible signature 皇都住義照 (Kōto-jū Yoshiteru) with kaō on the reverse
- Maple leaves in relief with very fine kebori veining
- Gold nunome zōgan touches evoking autumn colour
- Design running over the rim from one face to the other
- Dark, stable iron patina with crisp relief
Points to bear in mind
- The NBTHK Tokubetsu Hozon paper is declared by the original seller and is not shown in the photographs
- The late Edo dating comes from the seller's listing; the piece is not dated
- The rim is not photographed head-on
Score
61 / 100
- 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 4 of 10 Rank 199 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
- Yoshiteru
- Period
- Late Edo (1781–1868)
- Material
- Iron, Gold
- Paper
- NBTHK Tokubetsu Hozon Tōsōgu
- Signature
- Signed
- Inscription
- 皇都住義照 花押 (Kōto-jū Yoshiteru kaō)
- Technique
- Takabori (high relief), Nunome (damascening), Kebori (line engraving)
- Dating
- Late Edo period (19th century)