Skip to main content

This auction has ended. View lot details

You may also be interested in

Own a similar item?

Submit your item online for a free auction estimate.

An iron tsuba By Ito Masahiro, Goto Ichijo School, Edo period (1615-1868), mid-19th century (3) image 1
An iron tsuba By Ito Masahiro, Goto Ichijo School, Edo period (1615-1868), mid-19th century (3) image 2
Lot 58*

An iron tsuba
By Ito Masahiro, Goto Ichijo School, Edo period (1615-1868), mid-19th century

7 November 2019, 14:00 GMT
London, New Bond Street

Sold for £5,062.50 inc. premium

Own a similar item?

Submit your item online for a free auction estimate.

How to sell

Looking for a similar item?

Our Japanese Art specialists can help you find a similar item at an auction or via a private sale.

Find your local specialist

Ask about this lot

An iron tsuba

By Ito Masahiro, Goto Ichijo School, Edo period (1615-1868), mid-19th century
The tsuba of rounded rectangular form with raised rim, carved in low relief with a large shishi, the reverse with gold peonies growing around rocks by a winding stream in a mountainous landscape, signed Ito Masahiro; with a fitted wood storage box.
8.5cm (3 3/8in). (3).

Footnotes

Published:
Fukushi Shigeo, Tosogu machibori meihin shusei (A Collection of Masterpieces of Sword Fittings in the Urban-Carving Tradition), Tokyo, Inose Insatsu, 2005, p.198, no.257.

Accompanied by a NBTHK Tokubetsu Hozon Tosogu certificate, dated Heisei 13 (2001), attributing the work to Ito Masahiro.

The son of Ito Masanori, Ito Masahiro became the ninth master of the Ito family lineage and was a student of Goto Ichijo (see Robert E. Haynes, The Index of Japanese Sword Fittings and Associated Artists, Ellwangen, Nihon Art Publishers, 2001, no.H.04004). Masahiro's surviving works are exceedingly rare. The reverse of the present tsuba is based on an original by his illustrious teacher Goto Ichijo. Based on the Noh drama Shakkyo which concludes with a magnificent shishi and peony dance, it shows the mountain paradise of the Pure Land but eliminates the expected bridge that one must cross in order to reach it: This is an instance of rusu moyo, a design element that is suggested but not explicitly depicted. For the original version by Goto Ichijo, see Sato Kan'ichi and Honma Junji, Nihonto taikan (The Japanese Sword: A Comprehensive Survey), Tsuba, kodogu hen (Tsuba and Sword Fittings), Tokyo, Otsuka Kogeisha, 1972, no.577.

Additional information

Bid now on these items

A STONEWARE FIGURE OF AN ONI SUPPORTING A CLOUD Japan, Edo period,

A PAIR OF MIYAO BRONZE FIGURES Japan, By the Miyao workshop, Meiji period, late 19th century,

THREE BAMBOO FLOWER BASKETS Taisho (1912-1926) or Showa (1926-1989) era, 20th century

OKAMOTO RYŌZAN FOR THE YASUDA COMPANY A Small Ceramic Vase and Cover Meiji era (1868-1912), circa 1900

A GROUP OF FOUR JAPANESE BRONZES Meiji era (1868-1912), late 19th/early 20th century,

An Arita blue and white porcelain plate, Kanbun (1663–1673) or Enpô Era (1673 - 1681)

A rare Arita rectangular sander, circa 1680-1700

A SMALL LACQUER FAN-SHAPED KŌBAKO (INCENSE CONTAINER) Edo period (1615-1868), 19th century,

A BOXWOOD OKIMONO OF TWO MONKEYS HANGING FROM A BRANCH Japan, 20th century,

A RECTANGULAR MIXED-METAL INLAID BOX WITH TIGER MOTIF Japan, 20th century,

A POLYCHROME WOOD CARVING OF RANRYO-O, THE PRINCE OF LANLING Japan, 19th century

A BRONZE FIGURE OF A RECUMBENT LION Japan, Meiji period, late 19th century,

TWO ZUSHI (PORTABLE SHRINES) Edo period (1615-1868) or Meiji era (1868-1912), 19th century,

A LARGE STONEWARE PLATTER Bizen Ware Showa (1926-1989) or Heisei (1989-2019) era, 20th/21st century

A NEGORO LACQUER CUP STAND AND A TEABOWL STAND Japan, Muromachi and Momoyama period,

ELEVEN KISERUZUTSU PIPE CASES Japan, 19th century,

EIGHT INRO Japan, 19th - 20th century,

A WOOD BOKUTO IN THE FORM OF A COILED DRAGON Japan, Meiji period, 19th/20th century,

A SMALL LACQUER BOX Meiji (1868-1912) or Taisho (1912-1926) era, early 20th century,

SEVEN DECORATIVE VESSELS AND ACCESSORIES China and Japan, mostly 19th century,

TWO CLOISONNE-ENAMELED RECTANGULAR BOXES Japan, late 19th century,

FOUR CERAMIC CUP STANDS AND A KOGO Japan, 19th/20th century