Kozuka: Heron in water with flowers
Signature/mei: Goto Masatsugu + kao
Goto Kenjo – 7. Genration Goto mainline
Material: shakudo nanako plate with gold and silver iore
Era/jidai: early Edo period
Dimension: 9.7 cm x 1.4 cm
No papers (but I think it will get hozon)
No box
Price: 800 Euro
Here we have kozuka from Kenjo (Masatsugu), the 7th generation of the Goto mainline. He lived from 1586 to 1663 and was the third son of Goto Tokujo, the 5th generation of the main Goto line.
Kozuka: Ikebana scissors
Signature/mei: Mitsusuke (Goto Kanjo)
Material: shakudo with very fine nanako, scissors in shakudo, iroe in copper silver and gold
Era/jidai: middle Edo period
Dimension: 9.9 cm x 1.5 cm
No papers but guarantee for hozon
No box
Price: 1500 Euro
This very fine kozuka was made by Goto Kanjo, the eldest son of Goto Mitsumasa (Jujo) the 12th generation Goto mainline.
Kanjo was also called Tadakichi and later Sadakichi, lived in Edo and died on the 7th February 1798.
Ikebana scissors is a rarely seen design on tosogu in general, but for Goto even more as it’s far from typical Goto designs. Even if the design isn’t typical for Goto, the kozuka has a strict Goto feeling which might be due to the superb nanako which covers the whole kozuka (only the backside has no nanako). The accurate placed scissors is perfectly aligned with the edge of the kozuka, which also gives the impression of a strict formal Goto design. The scissors and the aster branch rise high above the base plate and are of outstanding quality. Some water drops are inlaid in gold and silver.
All in all this is a very rare kozuka and well suited for an ikebana artist or enthusiast.
Kozuka: Hotei sleeping in his bag
Signature/mei: Hidefusa
Material: shibuichi with kiriba and katakiriba
Dimension: 10.0 cm x 1.44 cm
Price: 250 Euro
Kozuka: Hotei with child on his back
Signature/mei: Kozui
Material: shibuichi with kiriba and katakiriba
Dimension: 9.73 cm x 1.5 cm
Price: 250 Euro
Kozuka: Somin – Shoki the demon queller
Signature/mei: Somin
Material: rogin / kiriba / katakiriba
Era/jidai: Edo
Dimension: 9.77 cm x 1.43 cm
Price: 500 Euro
A very fine carved kozuka from the great Somin with the famous design of “Shoki the demon queller”.
Kozuka: Mumei Kozuka with Samurai
Signature/mei: unsigned/mumei
Metrial: shakudo / hira-zogan in gold and silver / katakiribori
Era/jidai: Edo
Dimension: 9.67 cm x 1.39 cm
No papers (Guarantee Hozon)
Price: 1.200 Euro
What intrigues me about this piece is the subject and design, which is carefully carved and inlaid on all sides of the kozuka – except of the opening for the kogatana (koguchi).
On the right part of the front side we see a samurai equipped with his tachi and bow, standing on some kind of porch, gazing out to the upcoming thunderstorm. The veranda and the associated house is carved in the shakudo plate, the railing and our samurai is inlayed in gold, silver and copper and detailed with even finer katakiribori. We can even see a plant, which I think is a small bamboo tree. Alone this section of the kozuka could be a painting of its own.
On the left side the upcoming thunderstorm is placed. Big heavy clouds and guts of wind are carved out in bold and deep katakiribori, lighting strikes are inlayed in gold, heading in the direction of our little samurai.
Like I wrote before, parts of the design, the clouds, porch and house reach into the other sides of the kozuka. Sure, for two to three sides this can be seen on other pieces as well, but I think that all sides are decorated you can see less often.
Finally, we come to the backside. Instead of some yasurime, the motive is picked up. Meanwhile it’s night and the moon has come up which is inlayed in silver. The storm has come down a bit, lightning stopped, but there are still some clouds – carved out in katakiribori – which can be seen through the moonlight. Here again, a samurai is watching out, standing on some kind of fence, starring at the distance. As it’s a dark night, no colors are visible. Therefore the samurai is also represented in katakiribori without any colorful inlays. This represents the nightly scene very well.
I’m not sure if it’s the same samurai as on the front. He also has a tachi and some arrows on the back, but now he is wearing some kind of armor and the family crest doesn’t match the mon the samurai on the front side is wearing.
Unfortunately, the kozuka is mumei, but where should you place a signature when the design is everywhere covering everything?
Anyway, we wish our Samurai good luck on their duty.
