Photographs
Photographs by the seller at origin.
The piece
Unsigned shakudō tsuba of mokkō shape, with waves in fine kebori, gold-highlighted crests and inlaid gold dots, attributed to the Ko-kinkō school of the late Muromachi period.
Tsuba of mokkō shape (木瓜形, mokkō-gata) in shakudō, unsigned, which the original seller attributes to the Ko-kinkō school of Yamashiro province and dates to the late Muromachi period. The theme is surging waves (波濤図, hatō-zu): the photographs show both faces covered with waves drawn in very fine, even kebori, with whirlpools, foam crests picked out in gold (iroe) and a scattering of inlaid gold dots suggesting spray. Both hitsu-ana are closed with gold plugs with a striated surface, and the rim is a raised border left when the ground was cut back (sukidashi-bori), according to the listing. The central opening retains its copper sekigane at top and bottom. It measures 7.9 × 7.7 cm, with a rim thickness of 0.36 cm, according to the seller. The shakudō patina is dark and even, the gold is intact, and no knocks or rust are visible; the seppa-dai shows light wear from use. The original seller declares an NBTHK Tokubetsu Hozon paper, which does not appear in the photographs. It comes with a kiri box with cushion, with no visible inscription.
Strong points
- Waves in very fine, even kebori covering both faces
- Gold crests and inlaid gold dots well preserved
- Hitsu-ana closed with striated gold plugs
- NBTHK Tokubetsu Hozon paper declared by the original seller
- Kiri box with cushion
Points to bear in mind
- Unsigned: attribution to a school, not to a maker
- The declared paper does not appear in the photographs
- Copper sekigane in the central opening
Score
53.5 / 100
- Maker 9 of 25 Attributed to a school only
- Workmanship 10 of 20 Good work
- Condition 14 of 18 Good condition
- Period 12 of 12 Muromachi or earlier (before 1573)
- Paper 4 of 10 NBTHK Tokubetsu Hozon Tōsōgu
- Extras 0 of 5 No complete set by the same maker and no inscribed box
- Price 4.5 of 10 Rank 182 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
- School
- Ko-kinkō
- Period
- Muromachi or earlier (before 1573)
- Material
- Shakudō, Gold, Copper
- Paper
- NBTHK Tokubetsu Hozon Tōsōgu
- Signature
- Unsigned (mumei)
- Technique
- Kebori (line engraving), Zōgan (inlay), Iroe (coloured inlay), Other technique
- Dating
- Late Muromachi period (16th century)