| This hitsu-ana-less tsuba depicts a dragon soaring freely through the clouds, its body skillfully extending from the obverse to the reverse, creating a dynamic composition that fully utilizes both sides of the tsuba. Executed primarily in sukidashi-bori with finely engraved kebori details, the scales, mane, claws, and swirling clouds are rendered with remarkable precision, while the dragon's eye is highlighted with a gold dot zōgan, providing a subtle yet striking accent. The bold composition and refined carving vividly convey the dragon's majestic power, exemplifying the finest qualities of Chōshū tsuba. Masayuki was a metalworker who claimed descent from the Fujiwara clan. He used a variant form of the character yuki (幸) in his signature and is known from signatures such as "Chōhan-jū Fujiwara Masayuki "followed by the character sen (鐫), meaning "engraved by." "Nagato Rankatei Masayuki," and "Chōhan Fuji Masayuki." He worked in Nagato Province during the late Edo period and used the art name Rankatei. It passed the NBTHK Hozon Tōsōgu shinsa in 2000. |
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