HARUAKI HOGEN (1787-1857)

KYO-TACHISHI

TORI GATE

Beautiful F/K in Sentoku, Shakudo and Kin. The base metal is Sentoku or brass highlighted with shakudo and gold. It depicts a Tori gate and an old tree.

The plaque on the tori reads 春明 or Haruaki, an implied reference to Haruaki Hogen.  The fuchi is signed with a Kao only.

Kono Haruaki, also known as Hogan Haruaki was a retainer of the Kono family and founder of the Kono School. Most of his works are signed Haruaki Hogen but also used a number of other pseudonyms or “go”. The term “Hogan” is a Budhhist rank, one he obtained at age 40.  Haruaki became a student of Yanagawa Naoharu at age 16 in 1802. Naoharu had trained down through the generations of the Yanagawa school. The Yanagawa school had roots extending back to the masters Yokoya Soyo and Yokoya Somin. Yanagawa Naomasa, founder the Yanagawa school trained under both Somin and Soyo.

Note there are no papers included with this item, yet I am 99% certain the reference carved on the Tori gate is to Hogan Haruaki. The Kao while similar to other examples, is somewhat questionable to my eye. It becomes tricky as Haruaki lived to be 71 years old and undoubtedly his handwriting changed with age as would yours or mine.

The information provided is done as a courtesy and no guarantee is given or implied that this fuchi, kashira are shoshin (genuine).

*However, I will guaranteed if submitted to the NBTHK within one year of the purchase date they will pass.

The fittings themselves show the work of a skilled hand and are quite lovely.

The Hakogaki (writing on box) translates as:

Lid, outside #1

御縁頭 一組 – Fuchi-Kashira, one pair

Lid , inside #2

京太刀師作無銘元禄頃 美作 – Kyo tachishi made, mumei, circa Genroku, beautiful work,

赤銅七子地高彫色絵 – shakudo, nanakoji, takabori, iroe,

菊桐唐竹之図 – Kiku, kiri, tochiku no zu (chrysanthemum, paulownia, and sinobambusa tootsik)

昭和庚虎冬 – winter of 1950

阿弥屋惣右(衛門) – Amiya Souemon

Having the hakogaki from such a prominent figure in Japanese swords and fittings is a good indicator of its legitimacy, but again it is not a guarantee.

NOTE: Amiya (shop name) Souemon was a famous sword merchant who descended generation to generation in Tokyo since the Edo period.

Research reveals that, “Amiya Souemom” real name was “Ogura Souemon”. Ogura was his sur-name. Attached photo is of Amiya Souemon (Mr. Ogura Souemon).

Amiya Souemon was the founder of The Tsukiji-Token-Kai was in 1911. (see photo)

There is another photo of Amiya Souemon on page 86 of, Modern Japanese swords and swordsmiths: from 1868 to the Present by Leon Kapp, Hiroko Kapp, Yoshindo Yoshihara.

He is shown seated with Albert Yamanaka (army uniform front row center). Amiya Souemon to his right and Hon’ami Koson to his left.

$500 plus S/H and any additional associated fees (pp, wire, etc.)