Details
A GOTO SCHOOL KOZUKA
EDO PERIOD (CIRCA 1600), ATTESTED TO GOTO EIJO BY GOTO HOJO, SIGNED MON EIJO MITSUAKI WITH KAO

The center of the plate is shakudo nanako and the remainder is carved and inlaid in gold, silver and shakudo with cliffs, rockwork and plants with a silver waterfall in the center. Two crows are at the falls; one is bathing. The frame is gold-covered and has running file marks on the back--length 9.6cm., width 1.4cm., thickness 1.05cm.
Provenance
Joseph U. Seo, New York

Lot Essay

Goto Eijo (1577-1617) was the sixth Shirobei mainline master of the Goto school. He was the eldest son of Goto Tokujo, the fifth master. With his father he sided with Hideyoshi against Tokugawa Ieyasu. After Hideyoshi's defeat Goto Chojo (1562-1617), Eijo's uncle, asked Ieyasu to allow Eijo to rebuild his family profession. Ieyasu gave his permission and in 1616 Eijo was allowed to resume work minting gold coins, with an annual stipend of 200 koku from the Tokugawa bakufu. He also received the title Hogen. He died the following year. His work is rare because of his short working period and the fact that he spent much of his time in service as a samurai.

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