Meiji-era metalwork signature

[Yojix13]

Hello,

I'm trying to find out what the following is saying. My initial guess is:

唯一作 (left) and

祁華祷重入好 (right)

But I'm not sure this is correct. The short one is a name of the maker (Tadaichi?). I wonder what the longer one says.

 

Thanks in advance!

[SteveM]

Looks like 松華梼主人好, and it would be a dedication, "Made for Master/Lord Shōkatō" 

Shōkatō would be an art name of someone, but that name doesn't show up in any results. 

[Nobody]

I am not sure about the third character. But I guess as follows.

松華楼主人好 – For the master of Shokaro (name of a restaurant or something)

[Matsunoki]

More likely to be read as Tadakazu if on Meiji metalwork. I know there was a Tadakazu working for the Nogawa studio.

What is the object…..looks shibuichi?

[Yojix13]

 

 

Thank you for so many responses.

 

Matsunoki, yes, it's a shibuichi cigarette case.

[SteveM]

There was a dealer with quite a few Nogawa cigarette cases at the show in Las Vegas.

Very nice works. I was very tempted. I don't even smoke. 

[Matsunoki]

12 hours ago, SteveM said:

Very nice works.

The Nogawa studio produced some of the very finest Meiji metalwork pieces of truly mind boggling quality. For years their output was overlooked as “studio work” but last 20 years it is receiving a lot more attention and prices for the best items are skyrocketing. OK they had a more commercial output in later Meiji and into Taisho but they never succumbed to mass produced tat. Please take the time to look at this…….its wonderful….

https://steveslyjapa...ter-caddy-by-nogawa/

[Yojix13]

Thank you again for your inputs.

As far as I know, Nogawa produced the majority of his works in bronze. The company even advertised itself as the "manufacturer of Bronze Ware". I've also seen some of the Nunome Zogan works by him, as well as shakudo. But I don't think I ever seen a shibuichi work from Nogawa.

I also don't see any Tadakazu named artist listed on the SmokingSamurai website. May be just missing, though.

[Matsunoki]

6 hours ago, Yojix13 said:

But I don't think I ever seen a shibuichi work from Nogawa.

They did use shibuichi a fair bit…..once had a stunner of a double faced moon vase in shibuichi …..but granted nowhere near as common as their assorted bronze alloys or shakudo. I personally don’t believe they actually made the nunome zogan pieces that bear their mark…..I think that Komai workshops made them for them. That happened a lot in Meiji…..sub contract work.

 

6 hours ago, Yojix13 said:

I also don't see any Tadakazu named artist listed on the SmokingSamurai website

That’s not surprising. There are no absolutely definitive lists of who worked for who in Meiji…..things developed so quickly and artists moved around and also took on sub-contract commissions.