A TSUBA IN THE STYLE OF KOIKE YOSHIRO NAOMASA

Details

A TSUBA IN THE STYLE OF KOIKE YOSHIRO NAOMASA
EDO PERIOD (CIRCA 1625)

The round iron plate is pierced and inset with eight openwork brass crests (mon sukashi) and decorated with a ground of brass-inlaid vine leaves and tendrils flush to the surface. The inlay rolls over the rounded edge of the plate and the hitsu-ana retain their original heavy brass outline--height and width 8.3cm., thickness 4mm.

Literature

One Hundred Masterpieces (1992), no. 46.

Lot Essay

This style of tsuba was perfected by the Koike family in Kyoto but was later manufactured at Kanazawa in Kaga. Signed examples are found from both Kyoto and Kaga and it is thought that these represent special orders. Naomasa was the most famous member of the large Koike family school.

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