Judging school is very difficult on this mask. No clear features are pointing somewhere…
I agree with Luc about the period and quality, though. Can you show us some additional pics…side view, underside of the chin etc?!
Chris,
unfortunately I can’t tell when fusegumi (伏組) or jabara-ito (蛇腹糸) came into fashion. These “cords” were usually used to cover the butt edges between different e-gawa, as you might know…
Hello and welcome, James!
Very nice gunbai you have, but I guess not imperial. The mon is probably “丸に中陰九葉菊” (nine petal chrysanthemum in a ring), rather unusual for the imperial family.
Can you please take a picture that also covers the right column of the inscription completely?! It’s a date, but the top kanji is missing.
Hmm, found this combo “哉彫” in Markus Meikan ....”髷道人哉彫鐫” (Kyoku-dōjin kore o chōsen). Admittedly have some problems interpreting this translation for several reasons
Some, almost identical looking, with this signature are still around. I own one as well, mounted on a katana….
Very plain, but the iron is quite good. A “serial production”?