Photographs
Photographs by the seller at origin.
The piece
Shibuichi (oboro-gin) kōgai with bamboo in katakiribori and a gold hirazōgan sparrow, signed by Nakagawa Itteki, a pupil of Gotō Ichijō.
Kōgai signed 鶴府城坤之居中川一的 (probable reading: Tsurufu-jō hitsujisaru no kyo Nakagawa Itteki). According to the original seller, Itteki, a native of Mimasaka province, was a leading pupil of Gotō Ichijō and served the Matsudaira house of Tsuyama. The front shows a bamboo grove engraved in katakiribori with lines of varying strength, and a gold sparrow in hirazōgan taking flight; the back bears young pine shoots in fine kebori beside the signature. The seller describes the metal as oboro-gin (shibuichi) with a fine ishime ground, which agrees with the silver-grey tone and granular surface shown in the photographs. The photographs show the piece free of knocks or cracks, with crisp engraving, light wear from use and a few small dark spots on the surface. It measures 214 mm in length and 11.7 mm in width and comes in a kiri box. The original seller declares an NBTHK Tokubetsu Hozon certificate, which does not appear in the photographs.
Strong points
- Full signature with place of residence, legible on the back
- Gold hirazōgan sparrow on a shibuichi ground
- Bamboo in katakiribori with lines of varying strength
- Pupil of Gotō Ichijō according to the original seller
- Tokubetsu Hozon certificate declared by the original seller
Points to bear in mind
- The Tokubetsu Hozon certificate is declared by the original seller; it does not appear in the photographs.
- The seller reads 鶴府 (probable reading: Tsurufu) as the Tsuruta domain, which bore that name from 1868 to 1871; the piece may date from the first years of Meiji.
- The listing does not mention a hakogaki.
Score
60.5 / 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 8.5 of 10 Rank 3 of 14 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
- Kōgai
- Maker
- Nakagawa Itteki
- Period
- Late Edo (1781–1868)
- Material
- Shibuichi, Gold
- Paper
- NBTHK Tokubetsu Hozon Tōsōgu
- Signature
- Signed
- School
- 後藤一乗派 (Gotō Ichijō-ha)
- Inscription
- 鶴府城坤之居中川一的 (lectura probable: Tsurufu-jō hitsujisaru no kyo Nakagawa Itteki)
- Technique
- Katakiribori (bevelled chisel engraving), Kebori (line engraving), Zōgan (inlay), Other technique
- Dating
- Late Edo period (19th century)