NH-0890 Rank 96
Fuchi-kashira · Mitsuhiro (Tamagawa school)
美広 (Mitsuhiro)
Polished shakudō fuchi-kashira with Hotei and karako in takabori and gold iroe, signed 美廣作 (Mitsuhiro saku), with NBTHK Tokubetsu Hozon papers.
Photographs
Photographs by the seller at origin.
Description
Fuchi-kashira signed on the fuchi 美廣作 (Mitsuhiro saku), attributed by the original seller to the Tamagawa school of Mito, in Hitachi province. The theme is Hotei with karako: on the kashira, Hotei, one of the Seven Gods of Fortune, laughs with his great sack on his back; on the fuchi, two children dance beneath the cloth of a lion dance (shishimai), and on the reverse another child runs with a fan. The ground is polished shakudō (migaki-ji), black and lustrous; the figures are carved in takabori, with hair and folds in kebori and inlaid gold accents on clothing, shoes and cords. The fuchi has a copper plate bearing the chiselled signature, and the kashira retains its gilt rings. The photographs show a deep, even patina, with fine scratches on the copper plate and small marks on the polished ground. The 2023 NBTHK paper recognises it as Tokubetsu Hozon Tōsōgu and describes the work as polished shakudō, takabori and coloured inlay. It comes in an uninscribed kiri-wood box. Dimensions according to the original seller: kashira 3.3 cm, fuchi 3.8 cm.
Strong points
- NBTHK Tokubetsu Hozon Tōsōgu paper (2023) accepting the signature
- Signed 美廣作 (Mitsuhiro saku) on the fuchi plate
- Hotei and karako, an auspicious theme, carved with lively faces
- Polished shakudō with deep black patina and gold accents
Points to bear in mind
- The Tamagawa school is stated by the original seller; the paper does not mention it
- Fine scratches on the copper plate and small marks on the polished ground
- The period comes from the listing and the style; neither piece nor paper is dated
Score breakdown
61.2/100
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 19 of 25 Genuine signature of a known maker or school
- Workmanship 10 of 20 Good 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 9.2 of 10 Rank 3 of 27 by price among pieces of its type, from the most affordable to the dearest