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The piece

Shakudō kozuka with a nanako ground and daidai fruits with a bundle of shōbu in takabori and gold iroe, attributed by the Gotō house itself to its 10th master, Renjō.

A kozuka from the main line of the Gotō school. The subject is a seasonal festival ornament (sekku-kazari): two daidai fruits, the bitter orange offered at the household altar to pray for prosperity across generations, together with a bundle of shōbu leaves tied with their root, the iris hung for the boys' festival. The photographs show a black shakudō field with a fine, highly regular nanako; the fruits and iris leaves are in takabori with gold iroe and minute punched detail, while the orange leaves are left in shakudō, in the black-and-gold contrast typical of the house. The ura-ita is a gold plate engraved with the inscription 紋廉乗 光晃 (mon Renjō Mitsuakira) and a kaō: this is not the maker's signature but an attribution by the 16th Gotō master, Mitsuakira, assigning the work to the 10th master, Renjō. Judging from the photographs, the condition is good: crisp nanako, intact gold and a patina with no sign of repatination. The original seller declares an NBTHK Tokubetsu Hozon paper and a fitted paulownia box; neither appears in the photographs. It measures 97.2 × 14.6 mm according to the original seller.

Strong points

  • Main Gotō line, attributed to the 10th master Renjō
  • Attribution engraved in gold by the 16th Gotō master, Mitsuakira
  • Fine, regular shakudō nanako
  • Takabori with gold iroe in black-and-gold contrast
  • Uncommon seasonal festival subject

Points to bear in mind

  • The inscription is a later attribution by the Gotō house, not Renjō's own signature
  • The Tokubetsu Hozon paper declared by the original seller does not appear in the photographs
  • No photographs of the edges

Score

61.1 / 100

  1. Maker 15 of 25 Unsigned, attributed by the paper to a master
  2. Workmanship 15 of 20 Notable work
  3. Condition 14 of 18 Good condition
  4. Period 9 of 12 Early Edo (1615–1688)
  5. Paper 4 of 10 NBTHK Tokubetsu Hozon Tōsōgu
  6. Extras 0 of 5 No complete set by the same maker and no inscribed box
  7. Price 4.1 of 10 Rank 64 of 107 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
Kozuka
Maker
Gotō Renjō
Period
Early Edo (1615–1688)
Material
Shakudō, Gold
Paper
NBTHK Tokubetsu Hozon Tōsōgu
Signature
Attributed (den)
School
Gotō
Inscription
紋廉乗 光晃 (mon Renjō Mitsuakira), con kaō
Technique
Nanako (fish-roe ground), Takabori (high relief), Iroe (coloured inlay)
Dating
Early Edo period (17th century)

€3,710Shipping and taxes included

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