|
"A very rare kogai that pre-dates Goto, (1300-1400). The kogai is made of deep black shakudo, with a very finely punched background of nanako. The motif, executed in a very high profile design of the Kurikara Dragon King wrapped around a trident, has been produced repeatedly by each successive generation of the Goto family since Yujo. Both the trident and the Kurikara Dragon King are incarnations of Acala, and they cut off the three poisons of worldly desires (greed, anger, and ignorance) and ward off disaster. The dragon opens its mouth wide, about to swallow the trident. Its taut body wraps supplely around the trident, and its sharp claws grasp it. It is an original menuki attached to the handle.
These early works are highly sought after, becoming cornerstones of any serious tosogu collection. It is noble and dignified, neither too strong nor too weak. The early Goto never signed their works, so attribution is made through experience, and sometimes through attestation by later members of the Goto lineage." (Long) |
