Kantei

NH-0988 Rank 290

Tsuba · Akasaka

Iron tsuba of the Akasaka school, pierced in ji-sukashi with a reed motif, with an NBTHK Tokubetsu Hozon paper.

TsubaLate Edo (1781–1868)Edo period (17th–19th century)NBTHK Tokubetsu Hozon Tōsōgu

Photographs by the seller at origin.

Description

A round tsuba, slightly taller than wide (7.9 × 7.7 cm, 96 g according to the original seller), forged in iron and worked in ji-sukashi: the openwork leaves in negative a motif of reeds (ashi) running across the plate from the rim to the seppa-dai, with rounded openings on either side of the central ana. The rim is rounded (maru-mimi) and the iron surface shows the granular texture of good forging. It is unsigned. The NBTHK Tokubetsu Hozon paper, visible in the photographs, attributes it to the Akasaka school, an Edo workshop founded by Tadamasa in the Kan'ei era that reinterpreted the Owari and Kyoto openwork styles and remained active until the end of the Edo period. The photographs show a stable, even dark brown-black patina on both faces and the edge, with no visible cracks or knocks; small reddish-brown patches of old rust surround the central ana. It comes with its box.

Strong points

  • NBTHK Tokubetsu Hozon paper
  • Ji-sukashi reed openwork, clean and balanced composition
  • Well-forged iron with granular texture
  • Stable patina, no visible cracks or knocks

Points to bear in mind

  • Unsigned: attributed to the Akasaka school, not to a specific master
  • Date not narrowed down within the Edo period
  • Small patches of old rust around the central ana
  • The paper appears only in a low-resolution photograph; number and date are not legible

Score breakdown

50.9/100

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 9 of 25 Attributed to a school only
  2. Workmanship 10 of 20 Good 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 8.9 of 10 Rank 27 of 228 by price among pieces of its type, from the most affordable to the dearest