A YOSHIOKA SCHOOL TSUBA

Details

A YOSHIOKA SCHOOL TSUBA
EDO PERIOD (FIRST HALF OF THE 18TH CENTURY), SIGNED YOSHIOKA INABA [NO] SUKE

The shakudo nanako slightly convex (goishigata) shape plate is decorated with a design of two mon on the face and one on the reverse in gold flush inlay. The whole surface, including the gold rim cover, is covered with circular nanako ground of very fine grain--height 7.4cm., width 6.9cm., thickness at center 5.25mm., at edge 3mm.

Double wood storage boxes. Inner box with inscription by Sato Kanzan, dated early summer, 1966.

Accompanied by a tokubetsu kicho certificate issued by the N.B.T.H.K., no. 504, dated May 29th, 1966; and a tokubetsu kicho certificate issued by the N.B.T.H.K., no. 141, dated April 15th, 1971.

Provenance

Joseph U. Seo, New York

Literature

L'Arcade Chaumet (1976), no. 43, p. 17.
Mino and Robinson (1983), nos. 14, a & b, p. 19.
One Hundred Masterpieces (1992), no. 83.

Lot Essay

The Yoshioka family school is considered to rank just below the Goto Shirobei mainline school. Seven generations in all, the Yoshioka family were greatly admired in their own day. Inaba no Suke was a hereditary title employed by the Yoshioka to sign most of their works. The family were direct retainers of the Tokugawa bakufu and lived part of each year in Edo. They received both land and rice for their services. The tsuba can be attributed to either Yoshioka Shigenaga or Yoshioka Shigehiro, the third or fourth masters of the school.