Kantei

NH-0944 Rank 11

Gotokoromono · Gotō Mitsumori

後藤光守 (Gotō Mitsumori)

Complete five-piece set of shakudō fittings with the takara-zukushi theme, by Gotō Mitsumori (Keijō), fourteenth head of the Gotō main line. NBTHK Jūyō Tōsōgu paper.

Gotokoromono (five-piece set)Mid-Edo (1688–1781)Mid-Edo period (18th century)NBTHK Jūyō Tōsōgu

Photographs by the seller at origin.

Description

A complete gotokoromono —tsuba, fuchi-kashira, kozuka, kōgai and a pair of menuki— by Gotō Mitsumori, known as Keijō, fourteenth head of the Gotō main line, born in 1741 according to the paper's text. The tsuba, fuchi, kozuka and kōgai bear the chiselled signature 後藤光守 (Gotō Mitsumori) with kaō; the menuki are unsigned and the paper attributes them to Mitsumori as well. The theme is takara-zukushi, the treasures of good fortune: the photographs show a mallet, a bag, bales, jewels and other auspicious objects. The whole set is in deep black shakudō: the tsuba, round and slightly upright, with both hitsu-ana, and the fuchi-kashira have a polished ground with the motifs engraved in line (kebori and kōsuki-bori); the kozuka and kōgai have a fine nanako ground with the motifs in takabori; the menuki are carved in the round. The kashira has gilt side fittings. In the Gotō school, which made very few tsuba, a set that includes a tsuba and fuchi-kashira by the same maker is rare. The photographs show the pieces in good condition, free of rust or knocks, with fine handling scratches on the polished surfaces. The NBTHK designated it Jūyō Tōsōgu at its 49th session, on 9 October 2003.

Strong points

  • Designated Jūyō Tōsōgu by the NBTHK (49th session, 2003)
  • Work of Gotō Mitsumori (Keijō), fourteenth head of the Gotō main line
  • Complete five-piece set by one maker, including tsuba and fuchi-kashira, rare in the Gotō school
  • Four pieces signed with kaō
  • Deep black shakudō, with fine nanako on kozuka and kōgai

Points to bear in mind

  • The menuki are unsigned; the paper attributes them to Mitsumori.
  • Fine handling scratches on the polished surfaces of the tsuba and kozuka.
  • The photographs do not show the reverse of the menuki.

Score breakdown

72/100

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 25 of 25 Genuine signature of a first-rank master, confirmed by the paper
  2. Workmanship 15 of 20 Notable work
  3. Condition 14 of 18 Good condition
  4. Period 7 of 12 Mid-Edo (1688–1781)
  5. Paper 8 of 10 NBTHK Jūyō Tōsōgu
  6. Extras 3 of 5 Adds: complete set by the same maker
  7. Price 0 of 10 Rank 2 of 2 by price among pieces of its type, from the most affordable to the dearest