AN IMPRESSIVE JAPANESE SHAKUDO TAKASE YOSHITOSHI TSUBA

AN IMPRESSIVE JAPANESE SHAKUDO TAKASE YOSHITOSHI TSUBA

EDO PERIOD, 17TH OR 18TH CENTURY

The heavy circular body decorated with an all-over design of waves in relief, the foam cleverly rendered with gold inlays, signed Takase Yoshitoshi with kao, with Tokubetsu Hozon Tosogu (Sword fitting Extraordinary Worthy of Preservation) certificate no.2003469 issued by the Nihon Bijutsu Token Hozon Kyokai (The Society for the Preservation of the Japan Art Sword), dated 28th June 2016, in a kiri box, 7.3cm. (3)

Provenance: from a private European collection.

PLEASE NOTE THIS LOT IS TO BE OFFERED WITHOUT RESERVE

Takase Yoshitoshi was a talented tsuba maker from the Hitachi Province working as part of the Mito School circa 1800. His pieces can be found in museum collections around the world. See the Rijksmuseum, Amsterdam, access. no. AK-MAK-1140 for another tsuba signed Takase Yoshitoshi of similar design on loan from the Royal Asian Art Society of the Netherlands. Also, see the Boston Museum of Fine Arts, access. no. 13.2696 for another tsuba by Takase Yoshitoshi featuring crashing waves purchased from Chikami Kiyoomi (1856-1916), former governor of Kagoshima.

Cf. R E Haynes, The Index of Japanese Sword Fittings and Associated Artists, no.H12191; also see B W Robinson, The Art of the Japanese Sword, p.81, pl.88.