Ko-katchushi tsuba (古甲胃帥鐔) with openwork design of fans and geese or senmen-gan sukashi (扇面雁透). Classic ko-katchushi tsuba, with great iron quality and patina. Aggressive sukashi motif of large windows in the shape of fans, with two flying geese motifs incorporated as ribs. The tsuba is a very healthy size and is quite thin, again very characteristic of ko-katchushi tsuba. Comes in a high-end custom fitted box with shifuku or decorative silk sleeve.
This tsuba comes with quite an early 'green' or Tokubetsu Kicho paper, from early 1973. Tokubetsu Kicho means 'especially precious'. At the time of issue, this was the rank assigned under Juyo level. During the late 60's and early 70's, the NBTHK was still reasonably disciplined in granting papers, so they are generally well regarded from a quality control perspective. This early papers preceded the troubles the NBTHK encountered during the 1980s, when their reputation plummeted. I would say however that the evaluator was too conservative and should have put more effort into the description.
Translation of the NBTHK Tokubetsu Kicho paper description follows:
雁繋透鐔 (Gan-kei sukashi tsuba)
無銘 甲胃帥 (Mumei katchushi)
鉄地 丸形 地透 (Tetsu-ji maru-gata ji-sukashi )
Shōwa 48th year (1973) March 24th
Measurements: 8.85cm x 8.65cm x 0.25cm
Late Muromachi Period (室町後期時代), 16th c.
SOLD
info@tosoguya.com
