Categories
Kogai Kozuka

Futatokoro-mono by Kazutsura

Kozuka & Kogai (Futatokoro-mono): Insects

Signature/mei: Kazutsura

Material: base material shakudo, silver iroe nanako, gold

Era/jidai: late Edo period

Dimensions Kozuka: 96.8mm x 14.7mm x 5.0mm

Dimensions Kogai: 212.0mm x 12.3mm x 4.5mm

Papers: NBTHK Hozon

Price: sold

Kazutsura worked in Kyoto and died in 1814 at age 41. Therefore his works are rare and not often to find. He was a member of the Ozaki family and became a student of Uesugi Mitsunori. As he became an adopted son-in-law he took the family name “Uesugi”. His earlier works are signed “Ikkan” with two Kanji, later he signed “Kazutsura” with three Kanji.

In some literature it’s mentioned that Kazutsura went from Kyoto to Edo and entered the famous Ishiguro school. Later he returned to Kyoto and started his own shop. His famous pupil was Aritsune.

He worked mostly in iron and it is said, that among the Kyoto Kinko school his skill is considered only second to Tetsugendo Shoraku. But he worked also in shibuichi, suaka and gold. Nanako is not often found on his works.

This kozuka and kogai with the design of five insects form a daisho. That there is no moon or autumnal plants shown is a very spacial and distinctive feature of this set: No autumnal scene is shown, just a pure study and observation of insects. As the composition consists of various metals and also include nanako, it makes it an extremely rare set as there are not many works of him existing at all. As it is signed with three Kanji “Kazutsura”, this is a later work of him.

Currently the set is papered hozon by the NBTHK, but it will be a strong contestant for a juyo shinsa in the upcoming years.

Categories
Kogai

Octopus fighting Monkey

Kogai: Octopus fighting Monkey

Signature/mei: Takase Eiju

Material: shibuichi, shakudo, silver, copper, gold

Era/jidai: late Edo period

Dimension: 21.2 cm x 1.24 cm

Papers: (at shinsa)

Price: on request

A shibuichi kogai made by the famous mito artist Takase Eiju.

An octopus and two monkeys are put on the nanoko base. The octopus is made of copper while the monkeys are made of shakudo and what appears to be silver. The monkeys faces are accented with copper and their eyes are made of gold, like the eyes of the octopus. All the carvings are very delicate, Takase Eiju shows us how much detail can be represented in a small space. Since this kogai has a beautiful tapering, the appearance is rather elegant. As I’m not sure about the design, I believe this kogai was worn by an older samurai who didn’t need a “flashy” kogai but something to reflect something personal to him. Maybe the NBTHK will tell us more about the name of the design as the kogai is on the way to shinsa.

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