Photographs
Photographs by the seller at origin.
The piece
Iron mokkō tsuba signed by Gotō Mitsuhisa of the Ichijō school, with pigeons in takabori and scattered arrowheads inlaid in gold and silver-toned metal.
Iron tsuba of shallow-lobed mokkō shape with an uchikaeshi rim, a construction favoured by the Ichijō school. The signature, chiselled beside the central opening, reads 後藤光久 (Gotō Mitsuhisa) followed by his kaō (花押). Mitsuhisa, nephew of Gotō Ichijō and sixth head of the Jizaemon house, worked in a style very close to his uncle's. One face shows a pigeon in flight; the other a perched pigeon beside scattered arrowheads, all in takabori with gold and silver-toned inlay; the sky is suggested by two straight lines of gold and shakudō. The contrast between the realistic birds and the spare, loose arrowheads gives the piece a wistful mood. The photographs show a stable reddish-brown patina, complete inlays and crisp feather carving. Dimensions per the original seller: 76.5 × 70.9 mm. The original seller declares an NBTHK Tokubetsu Hozon paper, which does not appear in the photographs. Supplied with a kiri box.
Strong points
- Signed Gotō Mitsuhisa with kaō
- Ichijō school, characteristic mokkō shape and uchikaeshi rim
- Pigeons in takabori with finely chiselled plumage
- Gold and shakudō inlays intact
- NBTHK Tokubetsu Hozon paper declared by the original seller
Points to bear in mind
- The paper is not shown in the photographs
- Undated: the period rests on the listing and on style
Score
65.7 / 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 8.7 of 10 Rank 43 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
- Gotō Mitsuhisa
- Period
- Late Edo (1781–1868)
- Material
- Iron, Gold, Shakudō
- Paper
- NBTHK Tokubetsu Hozon Tōsōgu
- Signature
- Signed
- School
- Gotō (Ichijō-ha)
- Inscription
- 後藤光久 (花押) (Gotō Mitsuhisa)
- Technique
- Takabori (high relief), Zōgan (inlay), Iroe (coloured inlay)
- Dating
- Late Edo period (19th century)