This cohesive Edo-period set of sword fittings—two tsuba, two fuchi-kashira pairs, and a kozuka—was executed in sentoku with shakudō and gold details, reflecting the refined aesthetics of the Nara Yasuchika school. All pieces share the continuous motif of gourd vines (hyōtan) rendered in high relief.
The warm golden tone of the sentoku contrasts harmoniously with the deep blue-black shakudō leaves and the bright gold gourds. The carving is confident and naturalistic: curling tendrils flow rhythmically across the surfaces, while leaf veins are indicated with subtle, calligraphic lines.
The gourd has long been an auspicious symbol in Japanese art, representing abundance, good fortune, longevity, and protection. Its association with travelling monks and Daoist sages adds connotations of spiritual resilience and the containment of magical or protective forces. The vine itself, with its continuous, branching growth, evokes vitality and the unfolding of life. Together, these motifs create a protective and auspicious theme suitable for a sword mounting.
From a kantei perspective, the use of sentoku, the warm and carefully patinated surface, the asymmetrical placement of motifs, and the expressive handling of mixed-metal inlays all correspond to the stylistic vocabulary of the Nara Yasuchika line from the mid to late Edo period. The relief modeling is crisp and three-dimensional, with elegant negative space—features especially characteristic of Yasuchika-influenced work. In comparison, the Shōnai school, although derived from Nara traditions, generally displays flatter modeling and simpler, more rustic interpretations of plant motifs. The sophistication, depth, and balance seen here align more strongly with the mainline Yasuchika tradition than with Shōnai workmanship.
Overall, this set represents a refined example of Edo-period Nara metalwork, unified through a powerful and auspicious gourd-vine theme, executed with the elegance and technical assurance characteristic of the Yasuchika school.
Antique. Edo. Original from Japan.
