Ashmolean Eastern Art Online, Yousef Jameel Centre for Islamic and Asian Art

One of the greatest craftsmen of his time, Ichinomiya [Japanese text] Nagatsune (1719-1786) belonged to a samurai family of Echizen province (originally of Kaga). As a youth he came to Kiōto and studied under two Gotō masters, but he grew dissatisfied with the rigid canons of their hereditary style and founded a new school of his own. His designs, during his later years, are largely borrowed from the famous Maruyama Ōkio, under whose teaching he became a skilful painter as well as a metalworker. His work illustrates two chief techniques: fine iroye incrustation, and a combination of the katakiri engraving of the Yokoya with the fine inlay of the Kaga workers.

Besides sword-furniture, he did other decorative metalwork with great skill, such as silver brasier ordered by the king of Korea as a gift for the emperor of China, Ch’ien Lung (about 1780). He gained the favour of the Japanese Imperial Court, and Kōkaku (1780-1816) conferred on him the honorary title of Echizen-no-daijō.

His son Nagayoshi and pupils Chōbi and Tsunenao followed in his footsteps with uncertain tread and diminished lustre.

Tsuba depicting a mounted court noble and a peasant (EAX.11111)    Aori-shaped tsuba depicting a fisherman with his cormorant (EAX.11112)    Tsuba with chrysanthemums, asters, and chestnuts (EAX.11113)