Kantei

NH-0922 Rank 84

Daishō tsuba · Kikukawa Hisahide

菊川久英入道南甫 (Kikukawa Hisahide)

A daishō pair of polished iron tsuba with undulating outline and orchids in takabori and katakiri-bori, signed on both pieces by Kikukawa Hisahide Nyūdō Nanpo, with NBTHK Tokubetsu Hozon papers.

TsubaLate Edo (1781–1868)Late Edo period (19th century)NBTHK Tokubetsu Hozon Tōsōgu

Photographs by the seller at origin.

Description

A pair of tsuba made for a daishō by Kikukawa Hisahide, who in later life took the name Nyūdō Nanpo. According to the original seller, he was a pupil of Kikukawa Sōkichi and also studied under Chizuka Hisanori. Both guards are of iron with a polished surface (tetsu migaki-ji), an undulating outline (kawari-gata) and a sukinokoshi-mimi rim. The theme, 蘭花散図 (ranka chirashi zu), scatters orchid blossoms across both faces: some in high relief, with leaves and petals finished in katakiri-bori and kebori, others barely suggested in low relief like shadows, in a free and unusual composition. On the reverse, near the rim, each tsuba bears the signature 菊川久英入道南甫 (Kikukawa Hisahide Nyūdō Nanpo) and a gold seal inlaid in a dark plaque framed in copper. The photographs show an even dark brown patina, with no visible active rust and crisp carving. The original seller gives 78.3 × 67 × 4.9 mm and 114 g for the larger guard and 76.7 × 64.6 × 4.8 mm and 106 g for the smaller. NBTHK paper no. 2009608, dated 14 July 2023, certifies the pair as Tokubetsu Hozon Tōsōgu and records the signature on both pieces.

Strong points

  • Complete daishō pair, signed on both pieces
  • NBTHK Tokubetsu Hozon Tōsōgu paper (2023)
  • Orchids in takabori with katakiri-bori and kebori detail
  • Polished iron with an even patina and sukinokoshi-mimi rim
  • Inlaid gold seal beside each signature

Points to bear in mind

  • One reverse shows some lighter, mottled areas in the patina.
  • Remains of shims in the central opening of one tsuba and a small dark spot beside the central opening of the other.
  • Kikukawa Hisahide is a respected artist of a minor school, not one of the great master lineages.

Score breakdown

61.7/100

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.

  1. Maker 19 of 25 Genuine signature of a known maker or school
  2. Workmanship 15 of 20 Notable work
  3. Condition 14 of 18 Good condition
  4. Period 5 of 12 Late Edo (1781–1868)
  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 4.7 of 10 Rank 121 of 228 by price among pieces of its type, from the most affordable to the dearest