Kogatana: Natsuo - Listed in Natsuo Taikan

Stock no.

collection-006

品名

銀製小刀　たんぽぽ

Mei

在銘　　夏雄

仕様

夏雄大鑑所載

As written by the shop

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

Kano Natsuo A kinkoshi who was active from the Bakumatsu to the Meiji era. Born in Kyoto. Born to a rice merchant in Yanaginobamba Oike, Kyoto. His original surname was Fushimi. After being adopted by the sword merchant Kano Jisuke at age 7, he naturally became fascinated by the beauty of tsuba and tsuka, and began to hold a tagane, learning by imitation. At the recommendation of his adoptive parents who recognized his talent, he apprenticed under the chokishi Okumura Shohachi from around age 12, mastering techniques such as senbori and zogan. At age 14, he studied under the Maruyama Shijo school painter Nakajima Raisho to master realism. In 1846, at age 19, he became an independent kinkoshi. He moved to Edo in Ansei 1 (1854), established a shop in Kanda, and devoted his heart and soul to breathing life into kozuka, tsuba, and other works. He specialized in katakiribori, where the tagane is tilted diagonally to carve with one side. After the Meiji Restoration, in April of Meiji 2 (1869), he was appointed to the service of the Imperial Household and took charge of the tachi ornaments for Emperor Meiji, who was also a sword enthusiast. Furthermore, in July of the same year, he was requested by the new government to create the prototypes for new currency, and together with his students, he took charge of creating trial coins. Initially, the plan was to request the creation of the dies from England based on those prototypes, but the English engineer Waters, upon seeing the samples, was astonished by the high level of perfection and said, "With such a master craftsman here, there is no need to go out of the way to request them from England." Consequently, everything from the design to the production of the molds for the new currency was entrusted entirely to Kano and his students. During the repair of the Shosoin treasures conducted in Meiji 5 (1872), Emperor Meiji took a liking to an 8th-century chokuto among the treasures, said to have been worn by Emperor Shomu, and kept it close at hand. Kano was ordered by Emperor Meiji to create a koshirae suitable for this chokuto, which he completed the following year in Meiji 6 (1873), and Emperor Meiji named it "Suiryuken" and wore it. In Showa 32 (1957), it was designated as an Important Cultural Property as "Chokuto Mumei (Go Suiryuken) Tsuketari Nashiji Suiryu Zuiun-mon Hoken." When the Haitorei was issued in 1876, many in the same trade were forced out of business, but Kano continued to produce masterpieces of tobacco pouches and netsuke as orders never ceased. His elegant works also gained popularity overseas, and his name became known throughout the world. At the 3rd Domestic Industrial Exhibition in 1890, his Hyakutsuru-zu (Hundred Cranes) vase won the First Class Prize for Skill, and it is said that it was subsequently purchased by the Imperial Household Ministry and displayed in the Kiri-no-ma of the Meiji Palace. Also in this year, he was appointed as a professor at the Tokyo School of Fine Arts and was further selected as one of the first Imperial Household Artists. By order of Emperor Meiji, he completed the "Ikkanji Gomon Makie Raden Tachi Koshirae" in 1896 as the head of metal fitting engraving, and in 1903, he completed the "Kiku Makie Raden Tana" together with Kawanobe Itcho and others. These are two of what are commonly called the "Three Great Productions (Three Great Works) of Meiji."