Kantei

NH-0927 Rank 184

Kozuka · Takase Eiju

高瀬榮壽 (Takase Eiju)

Shakudō nanako kozuka with a minogame and gold hōju jewels in takabori, signed Takase Eiju with kaō, Mito school, with NBTHK Tokubetsu Hozon Tōsōgu papers.

KozukaMid-Edo (1688–1781)Mid-Edo period (18th century)NBTHK Tokubetsu Hozon Tōsōgu

Photographs by the seller at origin.

Description

Kozuka signed on the reverse 高瀬榮壽 (Takase Eiju) followed by his kaō, the work of this craftsman of the Mito school in Hitachi province. The NBTHK Tokubetsu Hozon Tōsōgu paper titles the subject hōju minogame zu: on a ground of fine, even shakudō nanako, a minogame —the thousand-year turtle with a trailing tail of weed, an emblem of longevity— advances towards two gold hōju jewels, with a third, smaller one between them. The turtle is carved in shakudō takabori, its gold shell in iroe chiselled with hexagons, the eye in gold and the long, stranded tail finely engraved. The plain, polished reverse carries the engraved signature. The photographs show intact nanako, gold without losses and a reverse with a slightly mottled patina and light marks of use. The original seller gives dimensions of 93.2 × 13.8 mm and states that it comes in a paulownia box. The paper, number 2004464, dated 7 December 2017, accepts the signature and describes the piece as shakudō nanako with takabori and gold iroe.

Strong points

  • Genuine signature of Takase Eiju with kaō, accepted by the paper
  • NBTHK Tokubetsu Hozon Tōsōgu paper
  • Fine, even shakudō nanako with no visible wear
  • Minogame in takabori with gold iroe shell
  • Auspicious theme of longevity and good fortune

Points to bear in mind

  • The paper does not date the piece; the period comes from the original seller and from style
  • The reverse shows a slightly mottled patina and light marks of use
  • The paulownia box carries no expert inscription

Score breakdown

57.3/100

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 10 of 20 Good work
  3. Condition 14 of 18 Good condition
  4. Period 7 of 12 Mid-Edo (1688–1781)
  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 3.3 of 10 Rank 40 of 59 by price among pieces of its type, from the most affordable to the dearest