Photographs
Photographs by the seller at origin.
The piece
Kōgai-naoshi kozuka with peonies in shakudō takabori on a nanako ground, set in a gold frame; unsigned and attributed to Gotō Mitsunori by an NBTHK Tokubetsu Hozon paper.
Unsigned kozuka attributed by a 1995 NBTHK Tokubetsu Hozon paper to Gotō Mitsunori (1529–1620), fourth head of the main Gotō line, who according to the original seller served Oda Nobunaga and Toyotomi Hideyoshi. It is a kōgai-naoshi kozuka: the decorated plate comes from a kōgai and was later mounted as a kozuka, as the paper itself records. The plate, in shakudō on a fine, even nanako ground, depicts a flowering peony (botan) branch with leaves and berries in rounded, polished takabori; petals and veins are detailed in kebori. It is set into a gold frame and the reverse is entirely gold. The photographs show crisp carving and the deep black shakudō patina intact; the gold shows fine hairline scratches from use and the inside of one end retains dark residue. It comes in a wooden box lined with purple cloth, with no visible inscription.
Strong points
- Attribution to Gotō Mitsunori on an NBTHK Tokubetsu Hozon paper
- Peonies in shakudō takabori on a fine, even nanako ground
- Gold frame and gold reverse
- Deep, intact shakudō patina
Points to bear in mind
- Unsigned: an attribution by the paper, not a signature
- Kōgai-naoshi: a kōgai plate later remounted as a kozuka
- Fine hairline scratches from use on the gold frame and reverse
Score
62.7 / 100
- Maker 15 of 25 Unsigned, attributed by the paper to a master
- Workmanship 15 of 20 Notable work
- Condition 14 of 18 Good condition
- Period 11 of 12 Momoyama (1573–1615)
- Paper 4 of 10 NBTHK Tokubetsu Hozon Tōsōgu
- Extras 0 of 5 No complete set by the same maker and no inscribed box
- Price 3.7 of 10 Rank 68 of 107 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
- Kozuka
- Maker
- Gotō Mitsunori
- Period
- Momoyama (1573–1615)
- Material
- Shakudō, Gold
- Paper
- NBTHK Tokubetsu Hozon Tōsōgu
- Signature
- Attributed (den)
- School
- Gotō
- Technique
- Takabori (high relief), Nanako (fish-roe ground), Kebori (line engraving)
- Dating
- Momoyama period (late 16th – early 17th century)
- Paper number
- 222260
- Paper date
- 20 April 1995
- Attribution on the paper
- 無銘 光乗 (mumei Mitsunori)