Kantei
‹ Koshirae

Photographs by the seller at origin.

The piece

Futatokoro of a kozuka and a pair of menuki in shakudō with gold and silver, signed by Gotō Mitsuakira, 16th master of the main Gotō line: a basket of flowering plum and turnips wrapped in straw.

A two-piece set (futatokoro) comprising a kozuka and a pair of menuki, by Gotō Mitsuakira, 16th master of the main Gotō line and son of the 15th master Mitsuyoshi; according to the original seller he was born in 1816 and succeeded as head of the house in 1835. The shakudō kozuka, on a nanako ground, shows in high relief a gold flower basket holding a branch of white plum in bloom; the tanzaku hanging from the basket carries the signature 光晃 (Mitsuakira) with kaō. The menuki depict turnips wrapped in a straw bundle, carved in the round with gold and silver iroe, and are signed 後藤光晃 (Gotō Mitsuakira). A winter theme, the scent of plum and the taste of turnip, rendered with the precision of the Gotō house. The back of the kozuka bears a gold plate. Dimensions according to the seller: kozuka 97.5 × 14.8 mm; menuki 34.5 and 34.6 mm. The photographs show the set in good condition, with no visible knocks or loss of gilding. The original seller declares an NBTHK Tokubetsu Hozon Tōsōgu paper and a paulownia box, without hakogaki.

Strong points

  • Signed by Gotō Mitsuakira, 16th master of the main Gotō line
  • Kozuka and menuki by the same maker, sharing a winter theme
  • Fine, even nanako ground in shakudō with gold and silver iroe
  • Gold plate on the back of the kozuka
  • NBTHK Tokubetsu Hozon Tōsōgu paper declared by the seller

Points to bear in mind

  • The paper declared by the seller does not appear in the photographs.
  • This futatokoro pairs a kozuka with menuki, not a kozuka with a kōgai.
  • The photographs are small.

Score

68.6 / 100

  1. Maker 19 of 25 Genuine signature of a known maker or school
  2. Workmanship 15 of 20 Notable 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 3 of 5 Adds: complete set by the same maker
  7. Price 8.6 of 10 Rank 4 of 22 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.

Type
Futatokoro (kozuka and kōgai)
Maker
Gotō Mitsuakira
Period
Late Edo (1781–1868)
Material
Shakudō, Gold, Silver
Paper
NBTHK Tokubetsu Hozon Tōsōgu
Signature
Signed
School
Gotō
Inscription
光晃 (Mitsuakira) 花押 (kaō) / 後藤光晃 (Gotō Mitsuakira)
Technique
Nanako (fish-roe ground), Takabori (high relief), Iroe (coloured inlay)
Dating
Late Edo period (mid-19th century)
Extras
complete set by the same maker

€2,910Shipping and taxes included

Write