Photographs
Photographs by the seller at origin.
The piece
Round iron tsuba pierced as a fishing net holding two fish, signed 五鉄鍛芝辻清貞 (Gotetsu kitae Shibatsuji Kiyosada), with a rim shaped like twisted rope.
Round (marugata) iron tsuba signed 五鉄鍛芝辻清貞 (Gotetsu kitae Shibatsuji Kiyosada). According to the original seller, Kiyosada came from a family of matchlock-gun smiths in Ōsaka, Settsu province, and brought his skill in forging iron to tsuba making; the addition 五鉄鍛 (gotetsu kitae) refers to forging with five irons. The theme is 網に魚 (ami ni uo), fish in a net: the whole ground is a lattice pierced in lozenges (ji-sukashi), and two fish in relief, with scales and fins cut in line, curve their bodies to outline the hitsu-ana. The thick mimi is modelled as a twisted rope. The photographs show dark brown, almost black iron with a subdued sheen, no visible knocks or cracks, and two sekigane in the central opening. Stated dimensions: 80.3 × 80.5 mm; 4.3 mm at the seppa-dai and 7 mm at the rim. The seller declares an NBTHK 特別保存刀装具 (Tokubetsu Hozon Tōsōgu) paper and a fitted paulownia box.
Strong points
- Signed 五鉄鍛芝辻清貞 (Gotetsu kitae Shibatsuji Kiyosada)
- Pierced net composition with two fish forming the hitsu-ana
- Thick rim modelled as twisted rope
- Tokubetsu Hozon paper declared by the original seller
- Fitted paulownia box
Points to bear in mind
- The paper is not shown in the photographs; it is recorded only on the original seller's statement.
- The signature is visible in the photographs but not fully legible; its text comes from the listing.
- Two sekigane in the central opening.
- The reverse is not photographed.
Score
61.3 / 100
- Maker 19 of 25 Genuine signature of a known maker or school
- 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 9.3 of 10 Rank 23 of 330 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
- Tsuba
- Maker
- Kiyosada
- Period
- Late Edo (1781–1868)
- Material
- Iron
- Paper
- NBTHK Tokubetsu Hozon Tōsōgu
- Signature
- Signed
- School
- Shibatsuji
- Inscription
- 五鉄鍛芝辻清貞 (Gotetsu kitae Shibatsuji Kiyosada)
- Technique
- Sukashi (openwork), Takabori (high relief), Kebori (line engraving)
- Dating
- Late Edo period (late 18th – 19th century)