SIGNED YURAKUSAI SEKIBUN, LATE EDO PERIOD (19TH CENTURY)

There are four recorded generations of Sekibun. The first Sekibun was born in the first year of Kansei (1789) in Echigo province. In Bunsei 7, he became master metalworker to the head of the Sakai family. The second generation was born in Tempo 9 (1838). He left very few examples of his work, probably because he spent his working life assisting the first Sekibun. The third generation, Sekibun Katsurano Fumio, wrote "Katsurano ke shi". The fourth generation Sekibun was an adopted son of Katsurano Fumio and became a student of Kano Natsuo.

The Sekibun artisans often used copper or inexpensive metal because of the frugal policy of the Sakai clan.

For a similar piece see Torigoe, K, Tsuba Kanshoki, (Nihon Bunkyo Shuppan Kabushikigaisha, Okayama, 1964), p. 37