Photographs
Photographs by the seller at origin.
The piece
Shakudō kozuka with a nanako ground and scattered books in takabori with gold and silver iroe, attributed by the original seller to Gotō Renjō, tenth head of the Gotō main line.
Gotō school kozuka which the original seller describes as signed by Renjō, with his kaō, on the reverse. Renjō, son of Sokujō, was born in 1627, became head of the main line of the Gotō family in 1652 and in 1662 moved the house from Kyoto to Edo. The subject is scattered books (sasshi chirashi-zu): five open and closed books in gold, silver and shakudō, their pages showing grasses and waterside plants. The photographs show a shakudō ground with very fine, even nanako, the books in takabori with iroe, details cut in katakiribori-style chisel strokes and small silver labels inlaid flush on the dark covers, with gold stitching. The composition, in two groups on a generous ground, is restrained and very clean. Condition is good: deep black patina, gold and silver intact, and slight wear to the nanako at one end. According to the seller it measures 97 × 14.3 mm and comes in a fitted kiri box. The seller declares an NBTHK Tokubetsu Hozon paper, which does not appear in the photographs.
Strong points
- Gotō main line, attributed to Renjō, tenth head of the family
- Shakudō ground with fine, even nanako
- Books in takabori with gold and silver iroe and katakiribori engraving
- Restrained composition on an uncommon literary theme
- NBTHK Tokubetsu Hozon paper declared by the seller
Points to bear in mind
- The signed reverse is not photographed: the signature could not be verified
- The declared paper does not appear in the photographs
- Slight wear to the nanako at one end
Score
52.4 / 100
- Maker 9 of 25 Attributed to a school only
- Workmanship 15 of 20 Notable work
- Condition 14 of 18 Good condition
- Period 9 of 12 Early Edo (1615–1688)
- Paper 4 of 10 NBTHK Tokubetsu Hozon Tōsōgu
- Extras 0 of 5 No complete set by the same maker and no inscribed box
- Price 1.4 of 10 Rank 92 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, Silver
- Paper
- NBTHK Tokubetsu Hozon Tōsōgu
- Signature
- Signed
- School
- Gotō
- Technique
- Nanako (fish-roe ground), Takabori (high relief), Iroe (coloured inlay), Katakiribori (bevelled chisel engraving), Zōgan (inlay)
- Dating
- Early Edo period (17th century)