Saito Tomiyuki
齋藤富隨
Fuji-San motif Kozuka made at the age of 67
NTHK Kanteisho
Dimensions: 96 mm x 13.5 mm x 4.5 mm
千不二六十七翁月人子 (One Thousand Fuji, 67 years old)
齋藤富隨 (Saito Tomiyuki) [Kao]
千四百五 (Sen Yon Hyaku Go) - #1405
A polished suaka ground kozuka with Mount Fuji and mist done in finely detailed katakiri-bori. This work is by Saito Tomniyuki and it was made in 1865. He is a well-regarded maker and ranked at the koshu 巧手 / 5th level by Wakayama. Haynes Index # H09820. He was a student of Tobari Tomihisa, who was trained by the 13th Goto master, Enjo. Tomiyuki later studied with the Hamano school. He was named Tomiyuki by combining Tomihisa's 富 and the Hamano school's typical character "随", He is said to have lived in the Shimazu family's mansion in Edo and passed away around the beginning of the Meiji era.
Haynes explains about Tomiyuki:"He is rather famous for having made 1000 kozuka with the design of Mt. Fuji. I have seen number 740, as he seems to have numbered each one, in order of production. Also a tsuba dated Nov. 15, 1865 at the age of 67. There is also a piece signed at the age of 76. He made his kao resemble the kotobuki 壽 kanji".
This example is numbered 1405 on the spine, showing that the series went well beyond 1000 works, and it is signed that he made it when he was 67 years old. A wonderful example with high empirical value. Accompanied by a NTHK Kanteisho paper.
$2000
For Study:
A reference example
of another Saito Tomiyuki piece from the Walters Art Museum