Lot 78
78
A HIGO SUKASHI TSUBA

Details
A HIGO SUKASHI TSUBA
EDO PERIOD (CIRCA 1850)

The iron plate is pierced and shaped as a nineteen-petal chrysanthemum. A large solid leaf is placed lower left and continues to the upper center area. The details on the leaf are depicted in line (kebori) carving. The edge is rounded and there are shakudo sekigane in the hitsu-ana. The surface has the fine silken patina typical of Kamiyoshi family work--height 7.9cm., width 7.6cm., thickness 6.5mm.

Lot Essay

This type of late Higo tsuba was made by the Kamiyoshi family. It is typical of the work of the third master Masayasu, who employed the name Rakuju. In this case the identifying marks at the top and bottom of the nakago-ana have been lost when the nakago was enlarged. Kamiyoshi Rakuju (1817-1889) was the son of Kamiyoshi Fukanobu (1789-1851) who also worked in this style. The father's tsuba, however, are not as strong or bold as those of Rakuju.