Certification: NTHK

Yoshikage was a student of Tanaka Kiyotoshi 田中清壽, and worked in Shiba in Edo. His works are mainly in the style of the Tanaka School. His family name is  Morikawa 森川, and he used the art names of Hoansai 宝庵斎, and Hoshinsai 宝真斎.

This iron tsuba exhibits the original, and much admired, red-brown patina this school was known for, as well as the rust these tsuba were prone to develop. The rust on this tsuba probably developed soon after its production,  before 1900. This is evidenced by it's photo from "The Naunton Collection" catalogue, by Henri L. Joly, published in 1912. At that time it was only 50 or 60 years old, and little, if any, rust has developed in the 100 years since that photo was taken. Much of this rust can quite successfully be reduced, leaving a much nicer look, as seen on the top quarter of the back view.

The iron plate has a waxy, slightly irregular, surface and looks like stone or leather. Much of the gold on the tree and branches is applied very thickly using nunome, with few hints visible as to the method used.

This subject was very popular among the rich merchants of Edo. A very similar treatment of this theme was done by Natsuo.