Photographs
Photographs by the seller at origin.
The piece
A daishō pair of fuchi-kashira in shakudō nanako with dragonflies in gold, suaka and shakudō takabori, signed 後藤光美 (Gotō Mitsuyoshi) with kaō, with an NBTHK Tokubetsu Hozon paper.
A daishō set of two fuchi-kashira, one larger and one smaller, from the Gotō school. Both fuchi bear, on the plate surrounding the central opening, the signature 後藤光美 (Gotō Mitsuyoshi) followed by a kaō, and the NBTHK paper accepts it as 大小銘 (daishō mei), signed on both pieces. The theme is dragonflies, 勝虫 (katsumushi), the 'victory insect' prized by the samurai because it only flies forward. The photographs show an even shakudō nanako ground with dragonflies in takabori: some in gold, some in suaka (copper) and some in shakudō, with iroe details. According to the original vendor, the larger fuchi measures 3.82 × 2.38 cm and the smaller 3.40 × 1.98 cm. The visible condition is good: the nanako keeps its grain, the gold is intact and no knocks or rust can be seen; the resolution of the photographs does not allow fine wear to be judged. The 特別保存刀装具 (Tokubetsu Hozon Tōsōgu) paper no. 226945, dated 13 April 2004, describes the work as shakudō nanako-ji with takabori, gold and suaka zōgan, and iroe. It comes in a plain kiri box.
Strong points
- Signature 後藤光美 (Gotō Mitsuyoshi) with kaō on both fuchi
- NBTHK Tokubetsu Hozon Tōsōgu paper (2004)
- Complete four-piece daishō set
- Dragonflies in gold, suaka and shakudō on a nanako ground
Points to bear in mind
- The period is inferred from the maker; the paper does not state it.
- Medium-resolution photographs: fine wear cannot be judged.
- Kiri box without hakogaki.
Score
62.1 / 100
- Maker 25 of 25 Genuine signature of a first-rank master, confirmed by the paper
- Workmanship 10 of 20 Good work
- Condition 14 of 18 Good condition
- Period 5 of 12 Late Edo (1781–1868)
- Paper 4 of 10 NBTHK Tokubetsu Hozon Tōsōgu
- Extras 0 of 5 No complete set by the same maker and no inscribed box
- Price 4.1 of 10 Rank 27 of 45 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
- Fuchi-kashira
- Maker
- Gotō Mitsuyoshi
- Period
- Late Edo (1781–1868)
- Material
- Shakudō, Gold, Copper
- Paper
- NBTHK Tokubetsu Hozon Tōsōgu
- Signature
- Signed
- School
- Gotō
- Inscription
- 後藤光美(花押) (Gotō Mitsuyoshi)
- Technique
- Nanako (fish-roe ground), Takabori (high relief), Zōgan (inlay), Iroe (coloured inlay)
- Dating
- Late Edo period (late 18th – 19th century)
- Paper number
- 226945
- Paper date
- 13 April 2004
- Attribution on the paper
- 後藤光美 (Gotō Mitsuyoshi)