"Seijo" Fuchi kashira

[Sergio Bastos]

hello all,

I recently bought this fuchi kashira, is done in very black shakudo of good quality and is signed "Seijo"

I have some questions:

- The signature of an autonomous artist or is a signature of a school?

- The signature is genuine?

 

thanks

Sergio

[Mark Green]

Not sure about the signiture, but I sure like them.

A Dragon in the lightning clouds. Way cool

[Sergio Bastos]

Yes... Mark, is very cool!

I spent much time looking for this type of fuchi kashira (Katana size), and now they will get better in a new Koshirae that I order.

[John A Stuart]

There was a family of Goto artists of the Seijo name using these kanji. 清乗 Known as the Shitaya Goto. There were 7 masters, maybe 8, but, questioned. Haynes mentions that most late work is by this 8th master? although the mei is signed Goto Seijo. These are a good set, but, I believe the mei is spurious. I have seen a few Seijo mei and none are written thus. There is a few generations, but, they do show similarities in signatures after one another. John

[Pete Klein]

This is from Wakayama, pg. 191:

 

 

 

Haynes pg. 1610 has him as the second son of Goto Ryujo and founder of the Edo Goto Seijo school. Work is rare. The mei looks off to me, possibly gimei. If in doubt submit for shinsa. In any case they are quite nice. I like them.

[Sergio Bastos]

Thanks Pete and John,

 

I found this information on the web:

 

"Seijo, also known as Mitsutoyo, died in 1734. As the school founder, he made but few tsuba. The second of the school, Seijo-Mitsuzane (died 1750), worked in relief, and also did inlay in the nunome style. He often used the water dragon on his guards and delighted in carving curious flowers. During this time, there was a demand for foreign designs, and this school turned out many guards in Canton and Namban style. The Nidai onward used the same signature, 'Seijo'. The sixth Seijo, also known as Harumitsu, Sessai, or Shiunchin, was famed for his excellent composition and detail. The 3rd to the 7th generations went to Edo, lived in Shitaya, and were known as the Shitaya Goto."

in http://www.shibuiswords.com/headGoto.htm

 

Pete the signature looks a litle diferent, could be another generation?

The style of the fuchi kashira is exellent, much better than the pictures show.

[John A Stuart]

I went through all the example mei I have, shodai to nanadai, and then the Seijo that is speculative. All the 7 masters signed with Goto and various other script, but, no nijimei. This 8th? Seijo signed like the signature we see in your fuchigashira, as well he used sosho at times and occasionally Goto Seijo. None seem to have a kao for this 8th Seijo. 2 examples. Stroke order here is the deciding factor, I think. John

[Sergio Bastos]

Thanks John,

The last two mei look very similar to my mei fuchi! but got confused, it will be the first generation or the eighth?

 

One more question?

Seems normal that the artist sometimes can make a slightly different signature when sign new work ( must be different after too many cups of Sake ),

but is not also important to compare the composition and decorative work to confirm whether the work is original or not?

 

Sergio

[John A Stuart]

That is the 8th Seijo. Could be !!?? I can't say without a doubt. The work is determinate, true, in the range it seems. John

[Sergio Bastos]

Thanks John,

Here is a Kozuka ( http://www.shibuiswords.com/dragonkozuka.htm ) from the same family but a work of the 6th master, looking at first glance looks nothing like my fuchigashira in the color, composition, etc.,

someone can show me some more pieces of seijo goto family?

[John A Stuart]

By the same Seijo the two dragon and waves f/k. These are the ones I showed the signature of. Two kiku f/k by the same artist with similar mei. John

[Sergio Bastos]

John, obrigado (arigato)

The style looks very identical,

it seems that there is possibility that my fuchigashira is from the Same Hand!

 

Sergio

[Curran]

Until John posted those reference mei, I would have assumed the signature was gimei.

 

John, what text did you use to research the Seijo mei variations?

I remember trying to verify a Seijo signature years ago, but not having the necessary reference texts at the time.

 

Incidentally I have seen a very nice fuchi kashira matching well one of the examples you posted. The f/k has a Yoshioka signature that doesn't look quite right and may have been added later. Interesting to see its twin as a reference example of late Seijo line work.

[John A Stuart]

Hi Curran, The Studies in Kyo-Goto book. It really is helpful for the waki groups. This artist has a signature so different from the whole Seijo line that it forced me to the books. I thought the same thing too. John

[Mark Green]

I thought I saw this before. Looks close.

 

From Lions Gate Armory

http://www.antiqueswords.com/product-17 ... ra-Set.htm

[John A Stuart]

But not the same, Mark. John

[Curran]

John,

 

Thank you. I took several of the Goto books in trade for a tsuba, but they remain the least familiar part of my Nihonto library.

I don't own any Goto or waki-Goto works, though you know my appreciation for the occasional Kaga Goto piece.

 

Going to pull that book today and give it a review to see if I can't commit to memory more of the Seijo information.