Image of The Twenty-eight Master Metal Workers

[Peter Bleed]

Dear Friends,

The closing plate in Robinson’s “Arts of the …”shows a rather dull copy of the “coloured drawing” of am image entitled “The Twenty-eight Master Metal Workers”. I have never heard or seen discussions of this image, but it seems to pretty interesting. Robinson says it dates from "about 1790" but that seems loose. The figures are individualized and shown with name panels so you have to wonder if they are accurate renderings. A couple of the figures - Yasuchika and Naomasa – are wearing glasses and several of the figures are armed.

Robinson presents a list of the men represented but is a bit unclear about what kind of image this was. It is called a "print" and a "drawing". It was made for Noda Nariaki, but it is unclear to me why the image and the list were produced. I wonder if there might be a high quality copy available or if anyone has discussed the image and its significance. It seems like an interesting document on the history of tosogu appreciation.

Peter

[Baka Gaijin]

Good morning Peter:

 

This may be of assistance:

 

 

 

KINKO KANTEI HIKKETSU

( The Key To The Appraisal Of Metal Artisans )

by NODA (Shirobei) Yoshiaki $150.00

Kitajima Choshiro, Edo, Bunsei 3 (1820). Two volume set; vol 1 has 4 chapters of 45 pages, vol 2 has 20 pages. All double-pages well illustrated with woodcuts. Blue daiper-patterned paper wrappers, labeled titles, sewn in the Japanese style.

Noda was a well-known connoisseur of the period. Noda Nariaki and Takase Tomohiro did the illustrations. A work on the Goto family, the illustrations show many works by the various masters, their kao, and the hidden or secret points of Attribution.

10 7/16" x 7 1/8" with new Japanese string binding.

 

http://www.shibuiswords.com/Hikketsu.htm

 

Cheers

[Ford Hallam]

Hi Peter

 

this is the largest version I can post on the forum but I can email you a full sized copy at full resolution if you like. Just message me through my website and I'll send it on in reply.

 

[Brian]

Love it!

Thanks guys, very interesting. Anyone care to label and identify the artisans?

 

Brian

[Barrie B]

Hi all,

 

I knew I had seen this image before.. Anyone that owns a copy of The Hartman Collection of Japanese Metalwork will find a facsimile of this illustration in the front and back covers…

 

Barrie B.

[Ford Hallam]

Brian, They're all named in B W Robinson's book. And every decent self respecting collector ought to have a copy of THAT. :D if only out of respect.

[Ford Hallam]

The original was designed by Kitao Kōsuisai (Shigemasa) and is named Sankō ni-ju-hachi Kishō.

The image I posted is actually of a scan on an original woodblock print.

 

The artists shown are, from top centre and going clockwise

 

Yokoya Sōmin (1670 ~ 1733)

Tsu Jimpo (1667 ~ 1737)

Nomura Tomoyoshi

Ozaki Naomasa , with spectacles (d.1782)

Ichinomiya Nagatsune (1722 ~ 1786)

Tsuchiya Yasuchika I , examining a kozuka and also wearing spectacles (1670 ~ 1744)

Yoshioka Buzen (no Suke Shigehiro) (d.1753)

Hamano Masayuki, pointing discreetly at a banana peel. (1696~1769)

Hamano Noriyuki ((d.1787)

Then, in the green Haori and resting his chin on his hand is,

Iwamoto Ryōkwan (teacher of the more famous Konkwan)

to the right of him and speaking over the shoulder of the man in front is ,

Furukawa Genchin

The older gentleman at bottom far right is,

Umetada Naritsugu (1678~1752)

next to him, and holding his haori-himo in his hands is,

Hosono Sōzaemon (Masamori) (c.1700)

In the yellow haori with green number 'two's" is,

Nara Masanaga

slightly behind him, holding a fan (?) and in the bottom centre is,

Ishiyama Mototada (1669~1734)

just behind Mototada and to his left is,

Nara Sōyō (Toshiharu)

In front of Sōyō, in a striped haori and wearing a head scarf is,

Nara Toshimitsu

Behind him and leaning slightly backwards is,

Nara Tsuneshige

Behind Tsuneshige we have,

Goto Seijō, in a green kimono.

Above Nara Tsuneshige and Goto Seijō, and holding an opened fan we have,

Mito Michinaga (d. 1768)

Next up is,

Murakami Jōchiku, the name plate only reads Jōchiku but I never forget a face. Incidentally two of his daughters were tsuba-shi also, Jōsui and Jōtetsu

Behind Jōchiku and wearing a yellow haori is,

Ōmori Terumasa (1705~1772)

To the left and just above Terumasa we have,

Inagawa Naokatsu (1719~1761)

To the right of Naokatsu and looking off to his right is,

Yanagawa Naomasa (1692~1757)

Above him and facing us directly is,

Yokoya Sōyo (d.1779)

Behind him, and sporting two swords, is,

Sugiura Joi (1700~1761)

Behind him, and with what looks to be a Tachi, is,

Hashinobe Masasada

and lastly but cetainly not least, the grand old master,

Nara Toshinaga (1670~1733)

[Eric H]

Kakejiku the SANKO NIJUHACHI KISHO by Morifusa

 

Eric

[Brian]

Thank you Ford, appreciate your efforts.

I have the books, but better to have them listed here. It's quite a valuable record of metalworking. Interesting that some of them are armed, I would have assumed that workers didn't carry swords, but of course some of the top metal workers had high ranks and/or positions?

 

Brian