An Iron Choshu Tsuba

SIGNED YUKIHARU (KOJI), CHOSHU HAGI JU KANEKO CHUBEI, MID EDO PERIOD (18TH CENTURY)

Details
An Iron Choshu Tsuba
Signed Yukiharu (Koji), Choshu Hagi ju Kaneko Chubei, mid Edo period (18th century)
The circular iron plate decorated with trailing ivy above a brushwood fence, the reverse with white herons in takabori and iroe takazogan, square mimi, with a wood box
3 3/8in. (8.6cm.), thickness 4mm.
Provenance
Red Cross
W W Winkworth
John Harding
Literature
Lundgren Collection, no. 184
Exhibited
Red Cross Exhibition, (1915), p. 139, pl. CXXIV, no. 450 (lent by Mrs Juliet Trowers)

Lot Essay

Choshu could well be referred to as Western Japan's equivalent of Mito. There were very many kinko artists there and, due to the clan policy of encouragement, the industry became enormous. There were Kawaji, Okamoto, Okada, Nakai, Hachido and Kaneko in the main group. Several masters used the same first names e.g. Nakai Tomoyuki, Kawaji Tomoyuki, Nakai Tomonobu, Kawaji Tomonobu and Inoue Tomonobu with numerous others. These characteristics of the Choshu artists have lead to quite a degree of confusion, making it difficult to determine the generations.

This example by Yukiharu has a balanced design combined with good colour combination. The omote is perhaps slightly influenced by Shonai. Yukiharu is recorded as having experimented with many compositions and different subjects and it therefore, appears that he had been stimulated by the work of other regions.

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