Futaba Aoi Zu Sukashi Tsuba by Echizen ju Kinai -Echizen ju Kinai- 12-1695

寸法

縦70.2ミリ　横67.1ミリ　切羽台厚5.3ミリ

Accessories

桐箱

Weight

重さ97グラム

As written by the shop

Machine translation from the shop's Japanese · may contain errors · Show original

Echizen Kinai was a school of tsubako that flourished based in Fukui, Echizen Province, and they specialized in works that powerfully carved and pierced iron ji, expressing subjects such as aoi, ginkgo, and dragons with a rich sense of volume. A futaba-aoi zu sukashi tsuba bearing the same mei of "Echizen Ju Kinai Saku" as this work is also held in the collection of the Tokyo National Museum, and the futaba-aoi is known as one of the representative motifs of Kinai tsuba. This work is a tsuba featuring aoi expressed in nikubori ji-sukashi on a maru-gata iron ji, provided with ryohitsuan on the left and right; by arranging large aoi leaves at the top and bottom of the composition and winding the stems extending from each leaf in a curvilinear fashion, it is brought together in a relaxed composition that makes use of the circular space. Fine, straight veins are carved into the aoi leaves, and the leaves and stems are decorated with kin-nunome-zogan; the gold lines stand out vividly against the calm, blackish-brown iron ji, adding brilliance and prestige to the powerful sukashibori. The orientation and overlapping of the aoi leaves are varied between the omote and ura, creating a design where one can enjoy different scenery despite using the same motif. The mei "Echizen Ju Kinai Saku" is clearly carved on the seppa-dai, and while the roundly finished mimi is given sufficient thickness, by boldly piercing the areas around the aoi leaves and stems, it is finished in a form that allows one to feel lightness within the dignity. A natural koshoku from the passage of time appears in the jitetsu, and although partial fading is observed in the kin-nunome-zogan, the patterns remain well overall, and one can appreciate the powerful tagane work characteristic of Kinai tsuba in the carving of the leaf veins and the curves of the stems. This is a piece of high appreciation value, possessing the aoi motif symbolic of Echizen Kinai, kin-nunome-zogan that shines beautifully against the deep iron color, and a skillful composition showing variation between the omote and ura.