Kurowa Katsutoshi, Haynes H 02906.0

[SSt]

Would appreciate help confirming this Mei and Kao.

Haynes describes this artist as "prolific", but I only have access to the following ;

Three items in the Boston Museum of Fine Arts (2 Kozuka & 1 Fuchi-Kashira)

and a tsuba in Christies Auction Catalog, Hartman Collection, Sale of June 30th 1976. Lot No. 266.

None of these examples shows a Mei or Kao.

 

Haynes illustrates 11 different Kao's for this artist.

The Koa on this particular tsuba seems to be yet another variation (12th?).

Haynes cites Wakayama as a reference.

Toso Kinko Jiten : 297-L-3 and 304-L-6.

 

Would be grateful if someone could post scans of the Wakayama listings for comparison.

 

Thanks.

[Rich T]

Hi Steve, Wakayama's Toso Kinko Jiten is a pure text reference, there are no mei images in it. He also wrote Toso Kodogu Meiji Taikan and that as well as the Kinko Taikan only list one Katsutoshi but the kanji are different, as is the kao.

 

No joy there I'm afraid sorry.

 

Cheers

 

Richard

[Brian]

Shosankenshu shows a kao that although not exact, is close enough to see that it based on this one.

They don't give much info. Ca. 1840, made many tsuba with fine detail and modelling.

Don't have any mei examples unfortunately.

 

Brian

[docliss]

Dear Steve

 

For what it’s worth, the Bauer Catalogue has a kozuka on p. 96, D 1063, by this artist and inscribed Kajusai Katsutoshi. The mei is illustrated on p. 379, # 173, but is quite unlike that on your tsuba and does not include a kao. I am sorry not to be of more help.

 

It would be nice to see a photograph of the entire tsuba – or are you just teasing us?

 

Regards, John L.

[John A Stuart]

I'm looking at Joly's book and there is a brief passage about this smith. He has him signing, Kurowa, Kakujiusai, Hokensai. These must be titles received over time. He writes; 'of Yashu Shimotsuke, 1840, fine work, made many tsuba of Oyeyama, with great detail and fine modelling, also Kamamono, etc: influenced by the Tamagawa and Uchikoshi school.' One of the kao described looks very similar to yours, but, for one stroke. John

[John A Stuart]

In the above description of Katsutoshi's work does kamamono mean he made pots and kettles? John

[SSt]

Hi All

Haynes lists 4 artists using the kanji 勝利 (Katsutoshi) as an art mei.

 

H 02905.0 Hoshi Katsutoshi, ca. 1875

H 02906.0 Kurowa Katsutoshi, Yashu ju, ca. 1750

H 02907.0 Nakagawa Katsutoshi, ca. 1800-1850 (Not listed by Wakayama)

H 02908.0 Nakajima Sosa buro (Katsutoshi) ca. 1900-1920

 

H 02906.0 is the only listing with an illustrated Kao example.

The tsuba in question is very similar in style to many of those illustrated

 

Perhaps there is some confusion as to the different artists and or generations?

 

Tsuba images to follow.

[SSt]

The theme/subject is unusual, possibly the New Year celebration (January 14th) , Niwa Taue 庭田植 (rice straw planting in the snow).

 

Shakudo, White Shibuichi (?), gold.

Size (cm): 7.35 x 6.98 x 0.60, Nakago 2.85

Weight (g): 156

 

The contrast between the deep black of the straw bundles and the bright white of the snow "Yuki-mochi" is striking.

Unfortunately my pictures do not do the piece justice.

[SSt]

The image did not upload on the last posting, too large?

 

Hope this works.

[Brian]

Steve,

If we remember to let the work speak for the mei, and not the other way round, then I think there is a strong possibility that this is shoshin and attributed correctly.

The kao does closely resemble a mix of the top left example and the one below it, and I think the differences are merely stylistic in nature.

It is indeed a striking tsuba, and very nicely done imho.

I don't see much reason to attribute it differently, especially given the info already that he used such varied kao in his work. There is only one tiny stroke difference in the top left kao in any event, and the rest matches.

 

Thanks for sharing.

 

Brian

[docliss]

Thank you Steve for the images. Such a truly beautifull tsuba, and of such obvious quality, that one can have no doubt as to its provenance. Presumably the kao is yet another variation of this artist's signature.

 

John L.

[nagamaki - Franco]

collect tsuba (swords, fittings, etc.), not signatures.

[SSt]

Thanks all for your input.

 

As some of you have said the quality and workmanship of the piece speaks for its self.

Mei or no.

It just would have been nice to have access to images of a mei, or two!, from this artist to compare it with.

Haynes description of this artist as "prolific" is misleading.

It seems that confirmation will have to wait, and I shall just have to keep searching.

 

As to the subtle hints on how I should collect, I can only comment thus.

 

Personally, I collect what appeals personally to me, irregardless of mei, and of course within my budget.

However, when I happen to have acquired a piece that indeed has a mei, then I like to translate it and also

to find other works by the same artist, and compare them.

Don't we all?

 

Take Care.

[Pete Klein]

Steve -- the tsuba you have pictured is from the Carlo Monzino Collection sales catalog, #324. It is the one from the Red Cross Exhibit of 1915, #1195 and belonged to Joly.

It sold in 1996 for 5,980 GBP.

 

 

[SSt]

Hi Pete

A thousand thanks. I had a gut feeling that this was an important tsuba.

Both the Sotheby's Carlo Monzino Catalog and the Japanese Art and Handicraft (re-print) have always been on my desired acquisition list,

but I always seemed to come across other references that seemed more pressing. No longer, just ordered both volumes on-line!

 

This piece was auctioned on eBay in late July 2008, by posservice, here is his sales pitch/description ;

 

The round Shakudo Tsuba is decorated with Ji-Sukashi openwork, gold-silver wrapped on Migaki-ji,

design of the device of catching fishes and waves, signed Hokensai Kuroha Katsutoshi Kao.

Mr.Kuroha Katsutoshi was a famous carftsman of Iwama school, lived in Mito, in Bakumatu (幕末) [1853-67],

Gou is Hokensai and Hojusai was a pupil of Mr.Iwama-Nobumichi.

Super forged, Super Kinko Hokensai made, Never seen before, perfect reserved.

 

So it seems that this tsuba paid a visit to "home" post-1996, only to be re-auctioned in 2008, and it now resides in the Canadaian Arctic!

A well traveled tsuba indeed.

 

Many thanks to all for your help.

[John A Stuart]

Steve, "It sold in 1996 for 5,980 GBP." This came from Old Po? Do you think it is the same tsuba? What a deal if it did. John

[nagamaki - Franco]

Hi, while both tsuba appear to be identical, when the images are enlarged there are a few small details that suggest they are not one in the same tsuba. It is interesting to note that they both sport the same kao. So, either these are two originals or two of something else.

[docliss]

To add to the provenance of Steve’s tsuba, it is listed in the Glendining catalogue of the Joly sale, held on Wednesday, June 8th, 1921, and is illustrated on Pl. V:

 

552 Shakudo, three faggots in a circle, covered with snow, inlaid silver,

the faggots tied with gold string, signed Hokensai Kuroha [sic] (Ill. J.A. and H.)

(1195) (Plate V)

 

It was sold for 300 shillings to a ‘Foreigner’.

 

John L.

[sencho]

Hi, while both tsuba appear to be identical, when the images are enlarged there are a few small details that suggest they are not one in the same tsuba. It is interesting to note that they both sport the same kao. So, either these are two originals or two of something else.

 

 

something strange here.... Like Franco, I can see minute differences (maybe an age/photo thing), but the same clearly defined nick in the metalwork on the edge of the kogaihitsuana....

 

:|

 

cheers!

[Brian]

Photographic (and time) differences aside, I would have to conclude it is the same tsuba.

There are just too many close similarities including the ding John pointed out.

The rest can be photographic anomalies. Possibly age and time has worn some areas or some have been polished a bit.

Otherwise I would have assumed they are a daisho pair...but the size appears to be the same, and they are just too close.

Great find. The mind can only boggle at how these end up at a top end price, go around the world and then filter back down and end up on the internet :?

 

Brian

[Curran]

2 cents more to the conversation:

 

This tsuba was on Yahoo!Japan. I wasn't confident on the signature and didn't have much money at the time (less now), so passed on it. I seem to remember it selling for sub $1000, which shocked me as I've seen clear gimei go much more than that. I thought someone had gotten a steal.

 

Then it was on Ebay in the USA and I did not see what the auction closed for, though I believe it was Po-Edo (aka Posservice), selling it. It was only later that I spotted it in the Hartman collection and wondered if it was the same tsuba that had round-tripped back to Japan.

 

I liked the theme.

 

Curran

[nagamaki - Franco]

Photographic (and time) differences aside, I would have to conclude it is the same tsuba.

There are just too many close similarities including the ding John pointed out.

 

Brian

 

Good afternoon,

 

have a look at the following images.

 

 

 

Example 1 sports a very tiny ball of "solder" just to the right of center in the image above the extension of 'snow', it is not there in example 3. The lower portion of gold bands along the outside edge are not quite the same. Though minor, there are differences in the fingers of snow extending out as well.

Does this prove these are images of 2 different tsuba, maybe, maybe not.

No matter, enjoy the tsuba for what it is, not what it is not, I have been, thank you.

More importantly, study and learn from it.

[Pete Klein]

For whatever it's worth I believe when Steve compares the tsuba to the picture in the catalog he will find it matches. I have found that slight lighting changes, scanning vs. photography, angular shifts in photography etc. will all cause for there to be apparent differences. After the first 100,000 views you get used to them. (LOL) However, there is one thing that is absolutely identical -- look at the mei, right side bottome kanji. It has been deformed exactly the same in all examples. Also there is an identical scratch on the hitsu ana rim.

I rest my case.

 

Enjoy!

[SSt]

Hi All

Comparing a scan of a photograph along side an amateurs photograph did not do justice to this tsuba,

so here is one last composite image which I trust will convince, most if not all of you,

that it is indeed the same tsuba, sold by Sotheby's at the Carlo Monzino Collection auction in June 1996 for GBP 5980.

 

The right hand picture was one of 12 professional images that posservice used in his eBay auction.

 

Start with bruising at the lower right of the nagakoana, which leads up to the last kanji on the same side.

Move on to similar bruising at the top of the nagakoana.

There is also a nick on the bottom edge of kozukahitsuana, (as well as the one on the nagakohitsu), which is just just visible on the catalog picture.

 

I have not posted posservices images on the site because of the bandwidth restrictions.

If anybody would like to view all 12, just PM me and I will gladly email them to you.

 

Take Care

[reinhard]

Steve,

 

In order to analyze a tsuba like this, you have to consider:

 

- quality

- provenance

- price

 

Furthermore you should be aware of the fact, that almost everything can be copied nowadays on a very high level. Apart from crude fakes, there are hi-tec copies almost indiscernible from originals. Looking at a tsuba like yours, you better start from a negative point of view: IF it is a copy: What am I to look for in the first place? Put yourself in the position of the faker then. Since there are ways to copy outline and shape of a tsuba in every minute detail, including mei, there are parts more difficult to fake and cannot be easily copied in one operation. Final finish is more difficult to copy as well as aged colouring. Plugged hitsu-ana with "cat-scratched" surface are the nightmare of all fakers, for they must be done seperately and almost always give the fake away.

Looking at your tsuba, I suspect it to be a hi-tec copy by someone, who had the original at hand for some time. This would also well relate to what I read so far in this thread before. No expertise, just a notion.

 

reinhard

[Brian]

I would love to think that the old rule of "the simplest explanation is usually the correct one" and this is as it seems, a tsuba that found its way around the world and back into a collection. Your cynical side is strong Reinhard, but good points nonetheless.

Would be major work to copy this, and especially that level of workmanship. yes, it can be done, but you would have to have the tsuba for quite a while, and pay such close attention that the mind boggles. But anything's possible I guess.

Personally...looks good to me. Maybe the plugs were replaced or worked on, or the pics just don't show the cat-scratches properly.

Either way, a great find and especially well spotted by the members here.

Some of you got all the auction catalogs memorized?? :lol:

 

Brian

[reinhard]

I didn't mean to be cynical nor to discourage anybody. I'm sorry if I gave the impression. I'm not sure about this tsuba being a copy or not. There are some very tiny details making me feel uncomfortable and so does its provenance; but there was still another reason for posting. From what we see on ebay and other market-places and is discussed on this board sometimes, some people might get used to the idea of fakes always being crude and easily to detect, but for some time now there are fakes/copies/imitations of high-end antique objects on the market, which are of supreme quality, far superior to Chinese trash and very difficult to unmask. Some of these copies are of Japanese origin. - It was meant to be a fair warning too.

 

reinhard

[Brian]

Thanks Reinhard, no worries. I think those are valid points, and easy to forget that.

 

Brian